With all her Power
by Mmedubarry
Summary: Wilhelmina's life is falling apart and Daniel might be the one person Wilhelmina is willing to let in to help her pick up the pieces and regain her power. The story is set in S4 and twists the storyline we all saw to make a little more salacious. I have decided this will be a Wilhelmina/Daniel story, sorry to all the Connor/Willie fans.
1. Chapter 1

She stood overlooking the room from the balcony above, statuesque, contemplating the commotion happening below her. Her eyes glazed over the crowd, watching even the smallest interaction, monitoring the moves of all her industry peers and colleagues, like a master puppeteer overlooking the show from above. She was the queen bee of Mode and with her title as Co-Editor and Chief, her power was cemented…or so she once thought.

Power was a funny thing. Those who understood its realms of possibilities also knew how to automatically take advantage of its offerings and those who thought they knew found the game to be deceptively impossible. It eventually sucks you in. It can consume you and eventually can become a high that the weak of heart easily succumb to under its weight. Her power came from her confidence as an executive, as an expert in her field, and as a strong willed woman. She was a fighter, not a dreamer, and enough of a realist to know when the world was beginning to veer its ugly talons again. No one could do what she did. It was the one aspect of her life where she could confidently say she was a sure fire success. Time and time again she rose like a phoenix from the ashes, no matter what obstacle was put in her road either deliberately or by fate.

But her resolve as of late was crumbling beneath her. Cold reality had sent a mass quake shaking the bedrock foundation of everything she accomplished, everything she built, and everything she knew. For the first time in decades, Wilhelmina Slater felt like she was falling apart, with no glue strong enough to hold the faltering pieces together. She knew it was just a matter of time before it all came undone.

It was the night of the black and white ball and the party was in full swing. All editors and executives were invited to the ball from Mode, among the publishing world's other heavy hitters, including representatives from brands, advertising agencies, and even New Yorks Society, hoping to rub elbows with the Fashion industry. Wilhelmina stood overlooking the party at the grand staircase. She held her nose in the air, and subconsciously clenched her jaw tight, mirroring her grip on the wrought iron railing of the grand staircase. Her body language translated to a woman in control and in a dominating position of power. In her moment of loneness, she reflected on the past few weeks and her resolve began its imminent crumble. Reality had hit her like a speeding train going a hundred miles a minute. That train was on schedule and eventually she knew deep down, it would catch up with her as she tried for years to outsmart and outrun it. Every scheme, every plan sped that train momentum closer in her direction.

In a few short weeks, she had lost her daughter, betrayed in the coldest way she could have ever imagined. Wilhelmina was beat at her own game by her own blood. Consequently because of her daughter, she had resigned her position, taking a leap of faith that her lover would rescue her (and her little girl) in their hour of need. For the first time in her life she threw caution to the wind and put her faith in the fairytale that the knight really would sweep her off her feet and save her. She scoffed out loud at her own stupidity. These things don't happen for women like her, she was the evil queen not the damsel in distress. The bad guy never gets the fairytale ending. The villain is forgotten and in the end, remembered for what they did, not who they were. And then the cruelest rip to her heart came with the loss of her lover, her equal, and the man she finally found her match in, Conner. It was just a few weeks ago that she learned Conner was dead. She mourned him in her private thoughts, in the moments she could close off from the world. Her anger, frustration, sadness, loneliness had all come to a head, and she had no one to turn to but herself. Sure she had Marc who idolized her but she could never show him her true human spirit and her moments of weakness. She had to set an example for Marc. Wilhelmina had began molding him, like Faye once did for her, to build his thick skin from a young age, and therefore there was room for only what she deemed necessary. There was no room for weakness or emotion. For these reasons, she held her head high. No matter what turmoil she was battling internally, she always had her shell of an exterior she could rely on. She just keep fighting and setting the example of the woman with the iron fist. The most dangerous aspect of her fight was the internal fight. If she could at least defeat her own self-doubt, she knew she could continue to face the cold ugly world.

She stood dressed in a one of a kind white creation, complete with deep plunging neckline, figure-hugging contours, with a slit to the thigh. The minimalist creation was a custom design by Tom Ford himself for the fiercest woman in fashion. All the other Editors of the leading publications were somewhat conservative, ironic considering the industry, but Wilhelmina's reputation preceded her as the boldest Editor in the game. It was no wonder why all the designers actually clawed at the helm to dress her. Her hair was pinned in a low chignon, and her face framed by gold and emerald statement earrings.

Wilhelmina felt a cool hand press against her back, startling her from her thoughts, as the warm breath brushed her ear. She knew it was the touch of a man, and the low baritone of the voice vibrated through her senses as it mixed with the percussions of the band playing in the background. "Penny for your thoughts Wilhelmina?" She instantly knew who it was and retorted smugly, "Try a Harry Winston wreath necklace and you have yourself a deal."

"It will be on your desk on Monday….Are you alright? What are you doing hiding up here by yourself?" Daniel had stepped away so he could look at her, but her stare remained on the commotion below her. Dryly she replied, "I don't hide."

Daniel didn't know why he was about to admit his next thought to her of all people but it was good to talk to someone who never babied him. It felt almost liberating to be straight up, and admitted, "Well I am. I can't take any more questions about Molly and those bullshit looks of sympathy. Mind if I crash your private VIP party and hang out up here with you?"

"Ugh" she grunted with her signature eye roll. She just wanted to be alone.

"C'mon I'm not that bad" He tested her again and she made a second attempt to resist his company. "Daniel, why aren't you hanging out with Betty if you want a little friend to boost your ego." This woman was impossible to please. Daniel felt his frustration mount and tried to put her in her place by retorting "Jesus Wilhelmina, what's with you?"

"I have a lot on my mind, and as you can see I'm really not interested in being bothered, especially by you!" Her coldness was at frigid levels and Daniel ironically felt a surge of heat rise in his ears. He was irate at her rudeness and snapped, "No clearly, standing up here, stirring in your own venom, like a lonely girl is a much better idea than trying to have some fun. Even I know you deserve it after everything you've been through as of late." Upon hearing his last statement she thought 'you have no idea what I'm really dealing with buddy'. Letting the thought sink in she finally turned her head and looked at him, acknowledging his presence. Her stare softened. "Thank you. That is kind of you to say after your experience with Molly." He turned his back and leaned against the railing and looked down at the marble floor in front of him. "Yeah well, you know, one day at a time. I guess you and I again somehow find ourselves on the same page." Daniel looked at her and she nodded at him with a meek smile. Her lips wound in a tight line almost protesting her face from betraying her and breaking down into tears. "Wanna to grab a drink?" Daniel inquired. With her signature raised eyebrow fully cocked and loaded and hand on her hip she turned to face him and shot back "I don't grab anything…I am served and catered to. You would think after four years…"

Daniel playfully raised a his hands in protest and bowed mockingly at Wilhelmina and dramatically protested "Excuse me your highness! What would you like to drink?"

"Vodka rocks" She couldn't help the small smirk that threatened her face by his animated response. He raised an eyebrow and dared to ask her "No Champagne…? I'm oddly shocked by your choice"

"Well, tonight I need something a little stronger"

"Ladies choice. I will be right back, stay put!"

"Excuse me!" There was that look again but Daniel knew he was safe for the time being because he was bringing liquor. He laughed at her and continued, "You heard me! That's an order Ms. Slater and as your employer for one more week, give or take, you have a moral obligation…"

"Go get my drink you fool!"

"Ok, Ok. I'll be right back" Daniel retreated hands in the air, defeated by her tone. She couldn't help but smile. She knew what he was doing, trying to change her mood by playfully annoying her. Even after everything he had been through in the past few months, losing his wife, almost losing his company, losing control of Meade to Hartley, he still was clowning around with her, trying to make the effort for no reason other than the fact that he was just a compassionate person. Now closer to the end of her journey at Mode, somewhere in the chaos and dramatics, she realized that she could count on Daniel to some degree. They were more similar than different and somehow they managed to make a great team through all the challenges. When the chips were down, they leveraged each other for the best possible outcome. They were colleagues, they were respectful adversaries, and they were a team like it or not. She looked back over her shoulder at him at the bar, catching his baby blues, nodding in his direction with a faint smile.

His eyes blazed across the room, even still paralyzing blue from a distance. He returned her gaze with a coolness, and easiness. She couldn't help but think how handsome he looked in his tux. Wilhelmina was thankful at that moment he came over to her and broke her from her heavy thoughts. If her evening continued in his company, she figured it might be for the best, but only for the night.

As the bartender prepared Daniel's dirty martini, he took the opportunity explore the view in front of him. Daniel traced the curves of her body in her revealing gown. Wilhelmina's choice that evening was definitely not demure and was definitely not for the faint of heart. Every woman clenched her date's arm a little tighter that evening when passing her direction, intimidated by the dress and by the woman herself. He often looked at Wilhelmina as the enemy and never let her beauty be a factor in their business relationship. He knew she would leverage it to her advantage and he had to be one step ahead of her. He saw her as a dangerous adversary and not as a woman. But tonight, he slipped up and his visceral instincts took over. Almost instinctively she turned, feeling his stare on her back. Their eyes caught once more across the room but this time an unspoken conversation occurred, something that never occurred before between the two of them, a moment of intimacy.

"Sir, do you want to start a tab?" the bartender broke the spell, and Daniel looked in his direction, leaving Wilhelmina confused by what just transpired. She figured he was checking her out, but that wasn't the reason she felt uncomfortable or confused. She was used to a man's looks of desire. Was it because it was Daniel? She was shaken out of her thoughts by Daniel's presence "Vodka rocks for the lady".

As she took the drink out of his hand, Wilhelmina suggestively swirled the liquid in the glass and slowly lifted her gaze to Daniel. The short silence was heavy between them until she lowered her voice and dryly tested him. "You like what you see Daniel?"

"Don't do this Wilhelmina." Daniel shook his head as he stared into his drink uncomfortably and wondered what her motive was. Albeit, he was a little intrigued where this conversation was headed. Daniel knew he had to keep his control because with Wilhelmina, anything was possible.

"Why, does it make you uncomfortable?"

"No, it just makes me wonder what's cooking in that head of yours."

"No game, I just saw you staring at me, and I was curious"

"Ya ok…You are the queen of games. Using sex as a tactic with me is not going to work. I see right through you. It's a chink in your armor"

"My sex is the coldest weapon of all Daniel."

"Somehow I don't believe you."

"Ohhh bold Daniel. Challenging me to an explanation"

"No, I just never would have thought that sex with Wilhelmina Slater could be described as 'cold', as you so plainly put it"

"Touche Mr. Meade"

"So what's with you? You're not yourself tonight. You look the part but somehow your mind isn't here. Normally you'd be circulating the room like a bee pollinating every flower in the room."

"We're all allowed a bad day. The important thing is that I am here representing Mode probably officially for the last time."

"I'm not going to lie to you, its going to be strange not having you around the office instilling fear from just a few clicks of your Manolos."

"Ha! No one will miss me, even I know that. Don't screw up Mode Daniel. I worked too hard for years to find its voice and vision."

"Well, I can promise you this… when in doubt I will think 'what would Wilhelmina do?'"

"Oh I see we are a comedian tonight! Do you have a gig lined up after the ball? Is this your warm up material? Don't quit your day job Danny"

"Well if I quit, who would run Mode?"

"Perish the thought!"

"I guess it's a good thing that I'm not that funny! So I never really asked you why you decided to quit. It never quite made sense to me why you did it so publically? Why didn't you come to me?"

"It's complicated"

"It always is with you."

"Look, I thought that I would stir up some opportunities being so bold and I think I have something lined up, but its not set in stone."

"Well I hope it all works out for you."

"Thank you"

"Aren't you going to miss me?"

"Daniel…don't be such a woman. Don't cry on me"

"I would do it just to make you uncomfortable"

"Of course you would you man child"

"Man child? You won't be calling me a man child when you see me in my swimsuit next week in the Bahamas"

"Good Lord"

"Oh, finally Wilhelmina Slater…speechless! This is the part where you say 'well done Daniel'"

"This is the part where I feel the urge to step on your toe with my stiletto and really make you cry like a girl!"

"You wouldn't!"

"Wouldn't I?" Wilhelmina shifted her weight and threatened her verbal challenge with her weapon of choice, her shoe. By drawing her weapon, she unintentionally flashed her leg from under her dress.

"Ok, Ok, I believe you" Daniel protested. He couldn't help but notice the dangerous part of the dress revealing her long caramel leg peeking through the slit of her dress. His eyes travelled up her leg and subconsciously Daniel licked his lips. This was the first time after Molly died that he was truly turned on. He broke the moment and asked her coolly, "Who made your dress?"

"Tom Ford. Why?"

"Just curious…custom?"

"Ya, why?"

"No reason."

Daniel brought his liquid courage to his lips as the silence between them began to mount. He bravely stated "Conner was a idiot choosing greed over a beautiful woman like you."

Wilhelmina was taken aback by his comment. It was the first time Daniel truly left her speechless. She wasn't sure if it was the copious amounts of alcohol she consumed over the evening but Daniel's confidence and braveness that evening led her to look at him in a different light. She stood for a moment staring at him with her mouth slightly agape trying to form something to say.

"Don't look at me like that, I can pay you a compliment like that now because in a week, you won't be able to use against me."

"One week is still a long time Meade."

"Touche, Ms. Slater. So are you ready for the Bahamas shoot?"

"For the most part. Just finalizing the last minute details like the team I want to take with me. I want this shoot to leave my legacy cemented."

"You will always be a apart of Mode Wilhelmina."

"Thank you. I think I am going to head out, it's getting late." She couldn't understand why he was gushy, its like he knew she needed to hear these things. It figured it might be better to take off now before she would have a moment of weakness in front of him.

"Ok, let me escort you out."

"Now there's a job you'd be perfect at…" She shot with sass even stifling a laugh at her own joke, joining Daniel's chuckle. As they ascended the grand staircase and made their way through the crowd to the main doors, Daniel kept a gentlemanly hand on her lower back, guiding her to the doors. Wilhelmina picked up her fur overcoat from the coat check and began for the final assent to the main doors to the valet. Daniel asked her "Do you have a car here?"

"Yes, should be in the queue outside." As she began to fuss with her coat, Daniel spoke "Let me help you with that." This polite banter was different for them, but they both found comfort in each other's presence that evening. "Thank you, I didn't know you were such a gentleman." He playfully opened the grand door in front of them and retorted "My mama raised me right…well more or less." Wilhelmina chuckled under her breath at the reference of Claire, her nemesis.

As they reached the car queued for Wilhelmina, Daniel reached out for the door again and stood behind it as he smiled at her and wiggled his eyebrows at her. Wilhelmina shot dryly as she stood on the other side of the car door, "I'm not tipping you." He giggled and they looked into each other's eyes. Daniel's voice deepened with his next statement, slowly and seriously he said, "I had a wonderful time with you tonight." Wilhelmina truthfully didn't want the evening to end with Daniel, but wasn't confident how to approach it. Her boldness got the better of her and retorted "Daniel, would you like to join me for a nightcap…at my place?" her eyelashes now blinked a mile a minute subconsciously, out of her nerves.

"Ugh yeah…sure"

"Ok then"

He hopped in after her.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Daniel followed Wilhelmina down the corridor of her building, watching her form get closer and closer to her door of her place. She walked like she had three men walking behind her. His heart was beating a mile a minute. His palms were still balmy from the moment he jumped in the town car. He could feel his pulse in his ears. The blood in his ears rushed so quickly he felt lightheaded. He was nervous. Why he agreed he couldn't even answer for himself. He couldn't back down now. He coaxed himself to stay for one drink and keep things civil, respectful.

As the keys rattled in the door, Wilhelmina looked over her shoulder and gave Daniel a smirk as the door hinged open. She noticed his nervousness. Daniel definitely did not have a poker face. She could read him like a book that she had read a hundred times. The small smirk was more than a polite nod. She recognized the power she had at that moment. It felt good.

He watched her cross the threshold and step aside letting him into the foyer. Daniel felt Wilhelmina's eyes follow him as he scanned his surroundings. The apartment was a lot to visually take in, Daniel noted, in its ornateness and styling. The view was spectacular. His thoughts were broken by her voice.

"What would you like to drink? Vodka? Scotch? Brandy?"

"Vodka's good."

She threw her fur coat on the chair and placed her keys on the side table, never taking her eyes of him. In part it was amusing teasing him and in part she was testing her clout with him. "Take a seat, make yourself comfortable." Daniel did as he was told. He took a seat on the red chair across from the crème satin couch. He comfortably leaned back in the chair and let its plushness envelop him. With one hand Daniel began to fuss with his bow tie, never breaking eye contact with her. He tried to read her movements, facial expressions. This woman was a fortress. She never led up. His eyes travelled the room as she crossed his path and walked toward the suspended fireplace. Wilhelmina picked up the remote of the side table and started the contraption with such swiftness it was like the devil appeared in front of him. She continued on her way to her expansive and expensive liquor collection on the opposite side of the room. Finally undoing the tie, he unbuttoned his shirt and welcomed the coolness of the air on his clammy skin. Wilhelmina turned her back to Daniel preparing the cocktails. He just watched her in silence. He stood up from his seat and removed his suit jacket.

She felt his presence shift through her peripheral vision and she said with her back turned to him "You nervous?"

"No." Daniel shot with quick timing, his voice not betraying him.

"No?" She questioned. Daniel knew her eyebrow shot up and her lips pursed. He knew her that well based on her patronizing tone. He was challenged at that moment by her ego and he accepted her challenge with an equally dry, low tone "Maybe a little…but that's only because I worry as to where you're going to stash my body?"

He watched her from behind as her body shifted from her throaty chuckle. She turned to face him and picked up the cocktails as she slithered toward him. Slow and tantalizingly shifting her hips "Very funny. I'll do a lot of things, but I think even I would stop short of murder." She handed him his drink and stood in front of his open legs. Staring her in the eye, Daniel reached for the short crystal glass she stretched out in front of him and said "Well I guess I can breath a sigh of relief." She clinked her glass with his and they both took a sip of their drinks, never breaking the eye contact. If this was Wilhelmina's game of luring in her prey, Daniel couldn't help but think she was the master of seduction, but he tried to stay level headed because with her he knew anything was possible. Even standing in front of him, Daniel felt his body betray him as his mind worked overtime.

Wilhelmina turned on her heel and tried to get the last word in as she retreated to the crème, satin sofa across from Daniel. "Besides alcohol dilutes the blood, so I don't want to make more of a mess than necessary on my new rug." She cocked her eyebrow at him and crossed her legs strategically to the side where her dress split open. Daniel watched her body lay across the love seat. Her arms stretched along the length of the backrest as her lower body revealed her long legs. The same legs he was intrigued by earlier that evening. Daniel ran his free hand through the scruff of his face and he rubbed his chin, in part from his nerves and partly due to his unfamiliar arousal he had neglected since Molly's death. Wilhelmina loved the game and was a master at driving men crazy.

Daniel decided to knock her off a peg and spin the control back in his corner, "Level with me then, why did you invite me here tonight?"

"You're sparkling personality." She dryly lured as she brought her glass to her lips and looked at him deep in his piercing blue eyes.

"Funny, I assumed you needed someone to give it to you good" Wilhelmina choked on the bitter liquid heating her throat. A devilish grin spread across Daniel's lips as he watched her struggle for a second.

"That's no way to speak to a lady."

"This is true. But I would hardly classify you as a delicate flower."

"Ok Meade. You want to play this game with me. Strip."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"You first."

Wilhelmina took the challenge and knew how she was going to spin this. She did as she was told. She got up from the sofa and took the few short steps to Daniel, tantalizing him between his legs. She downed the ruminants of the vodka trapped in her glass and loudly slammed it down on the table beside him. She slowly reached across her body to the side of her dress and lowered the zipper as its sound screeched across the salon.

Daniel began to panic. His eyes got wider and the sweat began to form on his brow. He could feel his heart pound through his chest. Wilhelmina ever so coolly slipped the gown to the floor with one swift motion, revealing her strapless balconette bra and barely-there undergarments. Daniel swallowed hard not believing what was happening in front of him. Wilhelmina was drunk with power at this moment. This was her favorite feeling, when she knew she had a man by his vices.

She steadied herself across the arms of the chair Daniel sat in. She slowly leaned in desperately close to him, with enough room to intensify the heat between them. She whispered in his ear "Is this what you want Daniel? You think you can handle me?" She gently brushed her lips up the length of his ear and continued coaxing him "hmmm?" Her perfume engulfed his senses, making him feel like he downed the whole bottle of vodka. "Aren't you going to give it to me…good?" Daniel still holding his glass of vodka lifted the glass to his lips and turned his head back to her and returned the favor with a throaty tone, rather than a whisper "You are insatiable. But I won't."

"Why's that?" Her voice still husky as she retreated enough to look him in the eye with her bedroom eyes.

"Because I know you don't want to really do this. This is a game to you."

Intrigued by his statement she called him out, "How can you be so sure?" He reached up and placed both his hands on her face and brought her face closer to his, temptingly close to his lips. They both instinctively closed their eyes anticipating the turn the moment could take. She could smell the sweet ruminants of vodka on his breath as Daniel softly breathed, "I know you Wilhelmina."

Her eyes shot open. Wilhelmina could feel the rage start to rise in her, like the devil had awaked in her. Cocky son of a -"You know nothing" she barked. Sensing her tone Daniel released the gentle touch, as she still leaned over him. He responded looking her dead in the eye "You challenged me. I upped the ante. And now I see through your bluff. If this ever happens I want you at your knees. I want you desperately needing it, not like this." His bravado and cockiness really started to rattle Wilhelmina's cage. She stood upright in front of him with attitude, arms crossed, leaning her weight on one leg ready to rip a strip off Daniel "Cocky, cocky little boy. You have no idea…"

Daniel stood up from his seat and accepted her challenge. He planted his two feet square and cut her off "No I know more about you and how you operate better than anyone. This makes you feel good. It gets your juices flowing. You are a power hungry bitch and you are the master of mind games, temptation, lust and greed. It comes from your years of hurt and rejection. And it pisses you off that I know you almost as well as you know yourself, hence the games. That makes me a man because I can handle you and take you for what you are and not what I want you to be. Remember my words, every relationship you've had to date, you dated boys. They never lasted because they were BOYS! I meant what I said tonight, Connor was the biggest idiot in the world letting you go. I lost my wife to disease and I know now more than ever what it is like to be a man and stand by someone through the worst of times. Whether you like it or not, I am the one man in your life who knows you and can handle you. That's why I won't fall for this. When I have you, I want it to be all of you, not this part of you."

"Get the hell out of my house you smug son of a bitch!" In her fit of rage, Wilhelmina reached for the glass on the side of the table and launched it against the wall behind Daniel to scare him and regain some of her power. His eyes burned with intensity from his little speech and the shock of the sound of the crystal shattering. Wilhelmina's eyes reflected the flames burning in the room. Her chest heaved from intensity and her breath was unsteady. Everything began to blur in front of her. It all came bubbling up like lava. The rhythm of her breath steamed like a locomotive, moving faster and faster as the fuel of Daniel's words registered in her mind. She was so ashamed of what had transpired moments ago. She was saddened by the events of the last few weeks. Wilhelmina's heart broke in front of Daniel. Her resolve crumbled. Her strength faltered. Wilhelmina finally broke down in tears, the tears she held back for years.

Daniel instinctively reached for her broken form. The cry so intense that she held on to him for dear life. He said nothing. He just held her and supported her in silence, unsure what the ramifications of his words had really done. Wilhelmina's power was now all laid out on the floor of her condo, her dress in a heaping pile which once was her weapon of seduction, her liquid courage spilled from her vicious attack, her intensity reflected in the shards of broken crystal and all that was left was her spirit that was now crumbling in Daniel's arms.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

There was little he could say at that moment to console her. Her grip on his arm and shoulder gave Daniel a good indication of her grief. This reaction ran deeper than what he said to her. This ran to her core, the deepest part of her that he was sure no one had ever seen. Daniel stroked her hair and tried his hardest to hush her to at least stop her weep so he could talk to her. Daniel's hand instinctively began stroking her hair and her back. A part of his heart broke all over again after his recent ordeal with Molly. Wilhelmina's grief for Connor was a very real reminder what the two of them were battling at the same time. Little did Daniel know Wilhelmina was grieving many endings in her life all at once, Connor's death, her parting from Mode, and the death of the relationship with her daughter, Nico. His own feelings of sorrow and guilt for not being there for Molly in her last moment of need willed him to stay and not leave Wilhelmina in this state. He stood by her. He stood with her.

He felt her convulsions begin to subside, her movements became more controlled and the pressure of her body against his released. She shivered against him in her state of undress. The texture of her skin changed within seconds and goose bumps began their spring to the surface as the calm began to envelop her body. Daniel still holding her with one arm reached for his jacket draped across the chair where he once sat. He wrapped it around her without a word, and respectfully held her by her forearms, pushing her away enough to look her in the eyes. Wilhelmina's cheeks were stained with the riverbeds of tears she released as her eyes search for answers on the floor. Daniel watched her eyes absorb the scene in front of her. He couldn't help but think to himself how beautifully broken she looked. It was like her tears set her skin aglow. Her cry had swelled her lips and made her eyes twice their size. She looked up to Daniel with one swoop of her eyelashes. The anticipation of what was going to come out of her mouth rattled Daniel's nerves. He knew he just witnessed something that was not meant for anyone to see, let alone him. He was ready for the repercussions, the wild backlash that he knew she was capable of.

"If you'll uh…if you'll excuse me… I'll be right back" her tone was gentle and disarming. Her eyes shifted from his to the walls unnervingly, stumbling over words and her voice breaking and betraying her unlike he had ever seen before.

"Wilhelmina. It's ok." Daniel didn't break his eye contact and began wiping her stained cheeks with his thumbs, nimbly as though he didn't want to scare her away like a delicate bird. As though she read his mind she instinctively took a step back and began crossing the length of her place to her bedroom without a word. The moment was too intimate and too much for her to handle. Daniel stood there in the battlefield that once was her living room. He shifted around looking at the damage that had just transpired moments ago. He heard the echo of the door shut to her bedroom. He figured it was Wilhelmina's way of shutting down and locking herself away again from the world to regroup. Daniel decided that he knew her well enough to know that the last thing she probably wanted was to wake in the morning and see the mess that was once her immaculate living salon. It was probably a memory she would want to lock away and never think of again. He decided to clean up the chaos and let himself out quietly, because knowing Wilhelmina she probably wouldn't show her face after what transpired moments ago. Daniel figured she had showed him enough for one night.

He started with her gown and began folding the priceless piece of couture. He placed it on the sofa neatly and made his way over to pick up the now one crystal goblet and walked it over to the kitchen and rinsed out the remaining liquid. He shifted around in the kitchen looking for a rag and something he could pick up the pieces of broken glass on the floor. Daniel gently wiped down the wall that was still dripping vodka from Wilhelmina's fit of rage. He then bent down to pick up the large shards of glass, piece by piece, careful not to cut himself. It reminded him of the times when he was a child and Claire would take care of the messes he would make with Alex usually breaking something valuable or something that easily shattered. Shaken from his thoughts by her voice, Wilhelmina calmly said from across the room, "You don't have to do that."

"It's fine, I don't mind." Daniel said as he continued his task of picking up the larger chards of glass from floor.

"My housekeeper can take care of it in the morning." He heard her voice get closer as she approached him from behind.

"I'm almost done anyway" Daniel said without looking back. She bent down beside him in her elegant violet silk robe. It shimmered as the flames of the fire bounced in the dimly lit salon. Daniel's gaze slowly turned to face her catching her smoldering eyes in a deep, penetrating gaze. He waited for her to speak. "Daniel, I'm sorry for what transpired. It was inappropriate and wrong…" Daniel cut her off, as he knew where she was going with her thought, "Wilhelmina, do not apologize to me. Consider me your friend tonight and friends don't apologize for those moments."

Daniel saw she was trying to process what had just left his lips. His voice was deep, slow and the words vibrated in Wilhelmina's mind. He turned his head to the floor again and continued picking up the small pieces, focusing not to miss any so she wouldn't cut herself, as she was barefoot. The moment of silence between them was thick. Wilhelmina just kept looking at him as he cleaned up her mess. He felt her eyes never leave his face.

"Why are you being so nice to me? I am the last person you should show compassion to after our history."

Daniel, turned to her again and continued, "Because believe it or not, I respect you. I empathize with you and whatever it is you are carrying with you that made you feel like this, a part of me breaks for you because I get it."

She shook her head in protest. "This doesn't make any sense."

"You once said may be we should start trusting each other…just trust it and it will be ok. Are you feeling better?" Daniel got up off the floor picking up the rag he bundled all the glass in and stretched a hand to Wilhelmina to help her up.  
"No. But Daniel…"

"Yes Wilhelmina?"

"Please don't tell any…"

"You're secret's safe with me."

"Thank you for your discretion."

"You can come talk to me whenever you want about whatever it is you're holding on to."

"Don't push your luck." She smiled at him, trying to make a meek joke and restore some normalcy.

"God, you never miss a beat, do you?" Daniel took the garbage to the kitchen. He grabbed his belongings and walked toward the foyer where Wilhelmina was already waiting for him with his tux jacket in hand. She gripped the jacket and handed it to him, not letting go of it just yet. Her eyes stared at her hands as Daniel stopped in front of her, reach for the jacket and gently kissed her cheek. "It's not just Connor is it?"

"No." Daniel nodded at her.

"I will see you on Monday. Goodnight Wilhelmina."

"Goodnight Daniel." Daniel's compassion at that moment was a present gift that Wilhelmina did not suspect she would ever receive, but she was very thankful for whatever twist of fate allowed him to be there in the moment she needed someone most.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

The week had passed with enough chaos to keep Daniel and Wilhelmina on opposite sides of the office, which they both silently were thankful for after the indiscretion just a short week ago. Because of the Bahamas shoot, Wilhelmina had found very little opportunity to run into Daniel. When papers were needed to be signed off, or approvals to be revised, on she would send Marc. She buried herself in her work, as she had done many times over the years when she tried to shovel away her pain. The preparations were in full swing and all the project managers were running around Wilhelmina like flies buzzing around a jar of honey, making sure the shoot would go off without a hitch.

As Wilhelmina waited for the town car to pick her up to the airport for her trip to the Bahamas, she fiddled with her Blackberry. The emails just kept steaming in. Her Blackberry buzzed with a bbm message. It was Daniel.

_Daniel: Are you on your way to the airport?_

_Wilhelmina: Yes, just getting into the town car. ETA 35 minutes …traffic _

_Daniel: PS packed my bathing suit. Don't fall in love with me when you see me undressed :P _

_Wilhelmina: Ugh…You mean blinded by what I see…pasty :S You need this tan more than I need a vacation!_

_Daniel: Ha! Hurry up…staff asking me questions, don't want to give them the wrong info. What am I going to do without you when you leave?_

_Wilhelmina: Relax! Be there soon. _

_Wilhelmina: Where's Betty? She'll know._

_Daniel: Taking later flight._

_Wilhelmina: Marc?_

_Daniel: On vacay time… already drunk!_

_Wilhelmina: Ugh…gaycation! Don't say anything. Be there soon_

_Daniel: Ok C U SOON _

_Wilhelmina: Don't do that! Hate that _

A few moments later her blackberry vibrated again, indicating a new bbm message. She flipped to the window and saw another message from Daniel.

_Daniel: Did you pack your bathing suit?_

_Wilhelmina: Fool! _

_Daniel: Can't wait to see…_

_Daniel: …what colour?_

_Wilhelmina: Don't be an idiot_

_Daniel: You can't charge me with sexual harassment after this week, so I am safe._

_Wilhelmina: I may hit you…don't be shocked if I leave a welt_

_Daniel: Oooh Baby! _

_Wilhelmina: Are you drunk? _

_Daniel: No_

_Wilhelmina: You can't really be this annoying before 9am?_

_Daniel: I just can't stop thinking about you…undressed. _

_Wilhelmina: Stop sexting me!_

_Daniel: Why? Besides this is probably the last time I can tease you like this. You'll miss it when it's gone._

_Wilhelmina: Funny, you're mom might say the same thing when I make sure you go missing! _

_Daniel: LMAO [I'm actually laughing] Bravo before 9am!_

_Wilhelmina: Oh don't worry I have plenty to lace you with when I get there._

_Daniel: You want to "lace" me? To what? My preference is handcuffs. Something tells me you know what to do with them. _

Wilhelmina couldn't help but smirk at the comment. It was kind of hot! It took her back to the moment when she had him pinned between her chair and her body. She took a deep breath to shake the memory from her thoughts and bring her back to reality.

_Wilhelmina: Daniel, you're like a dog in heat. Isn't there a stuffed animal you can hump instead of bothering me before my caffeine doping?_

_Daniel: No, prefer getting my rocks off bugging you. _

_Wilhelmina: Be there soon. STOP draining my battery!_

Daniel had a permanent grin plastered to his face, as though he was messaging his high school crush. He was smitten by their repertoire. He knew Wilhelmina's shortness was a good thing in her case, because it meant nothing had changed between them. However, Daniel couldn't stop thinking about her and the moments leading up to their blow up a few short days ago. The way she moved, the way she smelled, and the way she aroused him. Even her whispers echoed in his mind. No woman was able to do that since Molly and he never thought it would be possible to have those feelings again after Molly. He couldn't help but wonder if a moment like that would ever come again?

Wilhelmina sat in silence on her ride to JFK looking out the window to the very different world she was accustomed to on the Upper East Side. She always cut it close when it came to her flights. She liked the suspense of getting on her flight, the drama always made the trip a little more eventful. Besides she hated flying commercial among the 'little people'. What was she going to do, sit in the airport terminal and stuff her face with carb infested snacks and soda pop, with an iPod strapped to her head like the common people? She opened the conversation with Daniel on bbm and re-read it in her bored state. She didn't understand the turn that their relationship had taken in recent days, the flirting and the heat, and then the added state of bizarreness, the compassion and friendship. It was too early to think about such things, she had to focus on the task at hand. Her laser focus needed to be on the Bahamas shoot, and not silly things like what was distracting her at this moment, especially if it involved Daniel Meade.

Wilhelmina deleted the conversation. Absolutely no distractions!

Wilhelmina walked through the elite lounge reserved for first class passengers and planted herself at one of the working stations, pulling out her laptop to review some last minute details about the shoot. She had a few minutes to pass before her boarding call. She scanned the room looking to see any familiar faces. Her glance was met by many stares, but none were familiar to her. She began typing away focused on the task at hand when she heard a familiar voice from behind.

"Hi Willie!"

"How did you get in here?" She dryly spat.

"It pays to max your credit card at Barneys for the mileage." Marc smiled sweetly, smoothing his bangs.

"Marc, I'm busy and important, unless you have something life changing to tell me… scat!"

"Someone didn't have their morning coffeeeee" Marc sing-songed "I'll get you a cup."

"You're on vacation! Plant your butt!" Wilhelmina demanded.

"Willie, that's so sweet! It's fine, I don't mind. Besides I need another mimosa! I've downed like…5…no 6…on to lucky number 7"

Marc came back with an Americano, a champagne flute, and some pep in his step. He was clearly excited about his vacation. He sat opposite from Wilhelmina and dramatically exclaimed "I have some gossip for you!"

"Spill"

"Well, a guy I dated, who is related to another guy who dated the Marketing VP over at Isabella had said that they will be announcing the new Editor and Chief by the end of the week. Apparently, your name has been flying around that office like Donatella on her private jet! Willie, it looks like they practically engraved your name plate!"

"Sounds promising." She smirked, staring at her screen.

"I guess it pays to have loyal photographers, advertisers, brands, and models who will follow you wherever you go. Loyalty goes a long way." Marc gave Wilhelmina a look that implied a deeper meaning of what he just said. She looked up from her screen and softened her gaze.

"No minute of burning that midnight oil ever goes to waste Marc, never forget that. Even when you feel like you have nothing left to give, and your tired, you'll always find that drive to make you go that extra hour, that extra mile. I've been there, many, many times. You will too. I still do it. Let me tell you…that power you feel when you know all the blood, sweat and tears has translated to something tangible, something real is…is... priceless! No paycheck feels that good! You'll get there. I have not an ounce of doubt. You're meant for great things Marc" Wilhelmina winked at him, knowing her little protégé was on the road to success because of the boot camp she put him through. Every lesson, every task, every test, every scheme, every blackmail, Marc surpassed her expectations. His loyalty and aptitude was something she had realized she took for granted. Now in retrospect as the journey at Mode came to an end, her failures in the other parts of her life were made up by the successes she had set up for herself and more importantly, for Marc's future. She felt maternal for a moment, but just for a short moment.

_'Now boarding United flight number 6770 to Nassau, Bahamas. At this time we invite first class and business class passengers to begin boarding at gate 256' _

"The shoot for Mode awaits. Shall we?"

"Willieeee, I think I'm gonna cry. This is more sad I think then when Tom Ford left Gucci"

"Ugh…that's why you're not supposed to drink before 11am. Let's go, no tears"

"Coming my queen"

As they road down the escalator, Marc continued chatting up Wilhelmina. "By the way, I saw something interesting earlier at the gate"

"What?"

"Daniel was texting someone and looked like a school boy chasing some Catholic School girl skirt! It wasn't Amanda because she was with me. Who do you think it was?"

"Who cares" Wilhelmina panicked a bit and then her mind went to the jealous place, what if it was someone other than her? She kept face.

"You're right, pasty face's love life is probably more bland than an accountant in a pair of beige khaki's, righhht? I wonder what she looks like?" Marc let out a signature gasp and exclaimed "Maybe he's back to his old ways, bedding models?! Oh scandalous! Maybe its Minka, or Adrianna, or Miranda…"

"MARC! You're giving me a headache"

"Sorry Willie"

As Wilhelmina sauntered over to the gate, the echo of her Louboutins on the linoleum caused Daniel to look over his shoulder. He was clad in a crisp, beige, linen Ferragamo suit, with his Gucci duffle carry on swung over one shoulder. His white button down, casually opened and parted by his aviator sunglasses balanced in the part caught Wilhelmina's attention. The small tease of his chest caused her tummy to sink and tense. She wasn't sure if a shiver went through her as an instant and noticeable heat set her skin on fire. He looked good. Marc cracked a joke as they approached, "See…Beige!"

Daniel smiled with a wide grin, "Good morning Wilhelmina. You're looking lovely this morning."

Marc squinted his face in confusion. That was unusual.

"Morning Daniel." Wilhelmina dryly replied, taking a long sip of her Starbucks.

"You know you're getting on a plane, not walking a runway." Daniel looked her up and down, making it very obvious what he was doing. She wore the two-tone violet and tangerine 'it" dress of the season, with a bronze snakeskin waistbelt and sky-high white and gold pigalle Louboutins. Her white Hermes Kelly handbag was a perfect compliment to her glamorous ensemble. She looked like a feature editorial of a spring issue.

"Thank you for your obsolete observations! For your information I was photographed by paparazzi just outside the check in. Learn something from me, always be ready for a camera in your face. Gucci is always appropriate when jet setting…holy words" She turned her head and scanned Daniel "Who put this together for you?"

"Me, myself and I. Why, you like?"

"Ferragamo works on you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome!"

Marc felt like he was in a twilight zone. This was strange. The compliments were enough for his head to explode. Maybe it was the booze? No this was definitely strange. Little did Marc know how strange things were about to get.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

[Author's Warning: Strong Sexual Content in this chapter]

She couldn't believe it! There it was, the announcement heard round the world…Penelope Graybridge the newly appointed Editor and Chief of Isabella.

Wilhelmina felt like a thousand pounds was just dropped square on her center of gravity. She couldn't breathe. Her rage began to boil like a waiting pool of lava. She could feel the uncontrolled black out of rage that was ready to unleash its wrath. She had to get out of there a.s.a.p.

She made her way down to the private beach of the reef. It took her a few moments to focus as she paced through the pristine, white sandy beach. The sun was beating an uncontrollable, desperate heat that was causing her to hyperventilate from her state of mind. There was not a soul in sight. She was alone once again. Her breath was erratic and unstable as she tried catching it. Wilhelmina dropped in defeat over what had just transpired, she really did just lose everything. She banked on the position at Isabella and she was sure it was hers. The head of the publishing conglomerate had verbally confirmed the position. How did Penelope weasel her way in? Her mind refused to believe that Penelope out witted her and out strategized her, of all people. She didn't know if that was more insult to her already injured ego, like a vat of vinegar being poured on an open wound.

She removed her hat and slammed it in the sand. Wilhelmina crashed her face in her hands and began to run them through her hair in frustration. This was the first time in a long time that she was unsure if she could continue treading the deep, punishing, and brutal waves fate had dealt her. This had to be life's way of repaying for every bad deed she had ever done. Her sandcastle empire had finally crumbled under the storm of karma and was now nothing more than a pile of dirt. She now had truly lost everything, all swept away in a few short weeks when it took her a lifetime to build and fight for she had. Everything just became too real and she couldn't numb herself through it enough to regroup and to scheme her way to back to what was rightfully hers. No plan seemed like it was big enough to get her life on track. Wilhelmina just finishing telling Mark a day ago to never give up and keep fighting even when the odds seemed impossible to beat, and here she was sitting in the mess she had personally made of her entire life.

She stared straight ahead at the horizon, her anger subsiding and sadness crashing into her like the waves rapturing the shore. She saw a shadow swimming in the crystal blue waters, near the shore. Like a bat out of hell, he shot up from the surf and came toward her. She figured she must have been hallucinating. He was dead.

Even face-to-face she couldn't connect the pieces together. Her thoughts were racing at a pace that she had never experienced before. It wasn't until she laced her palm to his face that she realized the man she still loved was very much alive and real. The force in which she made contact against his skin was all the months of pain and anger bottled within her, and Connor had been a big part of that explosion. Fatefully Connor had come into her life once more when she needed someone most of all. The love of her life was back in her arms.

As he pressed her against the plush sand, the weight of his body was enough to send Wilhelmina into a chaotic tailspin. He was very much real as she pressed her body up into his in desperation trying to not let him slip away. She became eager to feel every part of him against her skin again. She could feel his throbbing member shift in arousal against her hip and his slightest of shifts of motion caused his arousal to be stiffer and more commanding. His lips raptured hers with such desperate force that they both could barely catch their breath. The world became a very quiet place that moment. All Wilhelmina could hear was the crashing shore against their bodies, the gentle blow of the wind against her ear, and the moans of passion between her and her beloved Connor.

He broke the kiss and began trailing short but longing kisses against her jawline while he breathed through the kisses "God I've missed these lips." She turned her head to his ear, panting to catch her breath, and with a desperate cry "I can't wait any longer, I need you to fuck me…now"

Connor had lifted himself off her to look her deep in the eye. His blue eyes had darkened immediately hearing the pleading in her tone. It was enough to drive him over the edge. The look on his face told Wilhelmina all she needed to know, there in the middle of the beach he was going to take her and she was ready to succumb to his control. The power he had over her was disarming, it was unmatched to any man before him, and what scared her most was that no man after him would ever compare. It shook her to her core. When she was with him, it was probably the closest she would ever get to a spiritual place, no inhibitions, no reservations, no apologies.

He smiled at her with a devilish grin, and brought himself to his knees. She looked at him confused as she propped herself on her elbows, why he had put space between them? Her long legs outstretched under his body. Connor saw the moment of panic in her eyes. Connor slowly parted them with one hand, and without words he continued to stare deep into her eyes, watching the anticipation mount in hers. His other hand ran tantalizingly slow up from her knee, smoothly to her center, massaging her through the fabric of her swimsuit. Connor could feel her wetness through her the fabric. Without breaking the rapture he was teasing her with, he reached with his free hand to remove the confines left between them. He hooked one strap of her bathing suit and ran his hand down her one exposed breast. He leaned in and began tracing small circular patterns from her collarbone, down her breast with his mouth. He teased the skin and nipped at the tender flesh tasting the sweet skin he longed for months. Wilhelmina moaned in frustration and desire. All she wanted was for him to just ravage her and his teasing was building anticipation to the point of no control. She gripped a fist full of his hair and whipped his head to her face, kissing him with such force she nipped his lip in frustration. As their lips parted Wilhelmina breathed, "Connor, fuck me." With one swift motion Connor ripped off the garment in response causing her skin to welcome goose bumps of arousal. His devilish smirk now became a full-fledged smile, knowing how bad she needed him.

Now with nothing between Connor and her body, Wilhelmina closed her eyes and lay back down in the sand. She tilted her head back in anticipation of his cock, and grabbed two fists full of sand to clench to as she knew his size would leave a remarkable impression after months of longing for him. What she felt surprised her, his warm, slippery mound of flesh flicking against her clit.

The sensation sent a loud guttural moan through her throat, leaving her mouth in a cry of desire at the feeling of his tongue against her very sensitive part. His hands and mouth both worked simultaneously to work her up to the point of no control. Connor could feel her muscles begin to erratically clench inside, nearing her peak. He wanted to watch her writhe to climax. He used both his expert hands to continue his raucous assault on her center and dirty talked her over the edge "C'mon Wilhelmina, cum for me, I've waited for you, c'mon fuck my fingers. C'mon baby, cum for me!"

Her hips responded instantly to his low demanding tone. His speed now shifting unpredictably to make her want to finish, and as he felt that final build through her vocal oohs and ahhs, Connor crashed his lips one more time to that sensitive now very wet center. Wilhelmina's entire body convulsed in release. Her heart, mind and soul were now free. Her chest heaved in unison with her convulsions as she came down from her orgasm.

Without letting that feeling completely dissipate, Conner hooked one of her legs without warning and pulled her through the sand toward his body. She let out a small squeal in surprise as her now very sensitive body felt the texture of the sand scratch the side of her body, and instantly felt the presence of Connor's cock struggling against the fabric of his damp shorts against her center. This was it. What she dreamt of for weeks, the moment she thought she would never feel again.

Holding her with one hand, he freed himself with the other. Connor leaned in and passionately kissed his beloved, and swiftly entered her without warning. A gasp left her lips and Connor held her there for a second, pressing her leg higher to adjust to the feeling of their bodies connected together again. He released her lips and gently inquired with his deep voice filled with arousal, "You ok?"

All Wilhelmina could do at that moment was nod, the words caught in her throat and could not escape. She shut her eyes as Connors first motions were almost too much for her to bare. He rocked against her, slowly, but with vigor. The pace increased speed causing her to bite down on her lip. Connor watched her, paced her, wanting her to come to climax with him but by the looks of it she was getting close. It took everything in him not to release but he was determined to get her to go with him or go a multiple of times. As she began to get more vocal he knew she was close. His thrusts became so deep that her eyes shot open at every tantalizing deep, thrust. He steadied the pace once more, quicker, more forceful, and more erratic as Wilhelmina's body bucked in response. She released in her second orgasm at Connor's doing.

Still holding her leg, he turned her on her stomach, as her breathing was still unsteady. He lowered himself close enough to her ear and gently moved her wavy, long hair aside and whispered, "I love you my queen. Now I want you to arch your hips to me and cum with me. Can you do that?"

"Mmm-hmmm"

"Good, I want you to ruin me."

Wilhelmina did as she was told, and she was about to take pleasure in having Connor be at her mercy this time. She propelled her arms beneath her to support what she was about to do. She arched her hips in the air and awaited him to enter her again. As she felt his thickness slide into her once more, she began bucking her hips in circular motions, slowly and teasingly. Connor rested his hands at her waist and guided the movements gently, not to disrupt her talented hips. She moved in such a way that it took mere seconds for Connor to succumb to her movements, he gripped her hips hard and began slamming into her again to take her over the edge with him. She called out his name at the intensity of the orgasm, and for the third time she came with Connor shortly behind her. This one was too much for him to bear. His body dropped at the intensity of his climax. He kissed her from behind in gratitude. They lay there for moments enjoying the moment that fate had just dealt them.

For a few moments, Wilhelmina's world went quiet.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

{Author's note: Thank you everyone for the comments and feedback! You guys gave me the courage to keep writing. I love writing but have rarely published in a forum. I love these characters and these stories let them live on. Wanted to do this for a long time but never had the guts to actually write it up…thank you all again for taking the time to read and comment :D}

The next day's events came too soon for Wilhelmina. Once again Connor was ripped out of her arms. It was just karma's torment rearing its ugly head in her life. He was arrested by the FBI earlier that afternoon and taken into custody, sending shockwaves through Mode's office. Wilhelmina had no choice but to lead the investigators through the door of their safe haven, with Connor's blessing to not implicate herself in the harboring of a fugitive. It was a mere twenty-four hours ago that all seemed to go back to some sense of normalcy. A small hope in her hoped the pieces of her broken life would again return, like Connor did. Like a flash he reappeared and was gone again. The sting of giving up the possibility of being with him ripped the wound open again in her heart. Except this time she had hope because he was indeed very much alive.

The Bahamian night breeze from the ocean lapped her skin as she sat in the same spot on the beach where Connor first appeared to her. She relived their passionate twenty-four hour tryst and replayed every moment in her head, going over every detail to engrave it in her memory. She knew she could return to him and that place forever. His voice and words echoed in her mind _["How can I have this secret empire without my queen by my side?", "I can't live another day without you", "I can take all of this away, runaway with me", "I want you to ruin me", "You have a power over me, no woman has ever had"]_, willing goose bumps to invade her body. The smell of his skin travelled on the wave of wind. The silence that she sat in was overwhelming for her. She took a swig of the bottle of Moet Rose she had sitting beside her. She always had a plan, too many ideas at a time and only so many hours in the day. But that evening she sat with the emptiness, with exception of the grief of losing Connor again. She figured this was why people had friends, to talk things through in these moments. Emotions were an uncomfortable subject for Wilhelmina and she was truly at a loss of what to do at that very moment. So she just sat there reliving the bliss of her memories no one could take away from her.

She saw a man approaching, walking the shore of the beach dresses in white. "It couldn't be?" she said to herself. It was too dark for her to make out exactly who the figure was but she was sure it was a man. She heard the voice from the short distance call out "Wilhelmina!" as the waves crashed the shore drowning out whose voice it was. She waited in silence, waiting for the man to get closer. She was paralyzed for a moment in her place, her tummy sinking in anticipation.

"There you are! You snuck away from your own send off party to sit by yourself …in the dark?"

"Hi Daniel" her voice monotone in disillusionment.

"You sound disappointed?"

"No"

"Well what are you doing here by yourself?"

"Spa treatment…pedicure. And Champagne [she lifted the bottle] as a master cleanse treatment"

"Clever"

"Well I didn't make it in this business strictly on my looks"  
"No you didn't…it was your cunning tongue and killer instinct"  
"Thank you for that" Daniel nodded at her. He plopped himself beside Wilhelmina and stared out into the ocean with her. He asked, "So, how you doing after the shock of this afternoon?"

"You mean Connor? I've had quite a few shockers this trip"

"Sorry about Isabella, I heard. Penelope Greybridge. Well at least I know I can crush the numbers now because if I had to go up against you, I may have had a problem." Daniel looked in her direction to try and catch her gaze. Wilhelmina turned her head and sassed him, "I would have given you a good run for your money."

Daniel shrugged his shoulders and snuffed bitterly, "You mean Hartley's money? Speaking of money, talked to the FBI today. Now that Connor's back from the dead, we have a good shot of tracking down the stolen money. They are reopening the case"

Now it was Wilhelmina's turn to sarcastically snuff "Good luck Daniel! It could take years."

"Better alive then dead to find it, at least there's hope. Besides, you're still technically part owner of Meade, so if we can get rid of Hartley, I'll honor your share."

Wilhelmina couldn't help but sneer and chuckle in a self defeating way, because she knew Daniel must have been kidding himself, "Master con artists like Connor won't make this easy."

"Nothing worthwhile in life ever is"

Wilhelmina smirked in spite of herself at Daniel's words. She took a big swig of the bottle and allowed the liquid wash away her guilt of sleeping with the enemy. A short silence fell between them. The waves crashed in the background as a soundtrack to the troubles in both their lives at that moment.

"You in with me for this fight?"

"I don't know" She shook her head and looked at her feet, unable to look him in the eye.  
"Wilhelmina, he stole from me, he stole from you, he deceived you, the bastard deserves everything coming to him!"

Wilhelmina said nothing.

"Look I know this is a lot to process, and it just happened, but I am going after him hard. I want to squeeze every ounce of blood I can out of him, even it that means I have to try squeeze blood out of stone. No corner unturned. He humiliated me and disgraced my name and my fathers." His tone spewed hatred and anger that he locked away from his defeat at Connor's doing. His intensity stirred her to have a reaction to his words, "Calm down Daniel! It's been a hot second since he came back into the picture! If you want to do this you have to be smart. Outwit him, and that my friend, takes time."

"Friend?" Daniel cocked an eyebrow at Wilhelmina for an explanation. She looked at him and responded by giving him the same look. He opened the conversation a week ago be truly being her friend when she needed someone most. She returned the favor as best as she could at that moment, acknowledging the mutual respect between them to even have this conversation.

"You're right." Daniel succeeded.

"I always am" Wilhelmina said with a self-serving shrug.

"I don't want to pry but your holding it together quite remarkably. You are unlike anyone else I know."

She said nothing.

"I have to say you laced him quite a slap! I think his dentist got a call on his mobile on contact with you palm! It was like eighties soap opera slap! I think his head spun around twice, but I can't be sure cause that's all I could count at the speed"

She let out a deep giggle and rolled her eyes. "Ok don't overdo it!"

"He deserved it." He nudged her with his shoulder, as he sat with his arms resting coolly over his knees, hand clenched together. Daniel continued, "Everyone's talking about it. If I hear the phrase 'that was fierce' again, I think I might fake MY own death."

"Ugh, Marc and Amanda?"

"Yup"

Wilhelmina reached over to her right side and picked up the Moet bottle buried in the sand and offered, "You want some?"

"I was waiting for you to offer." Daniel took the bottle out of her hand and downed a generous amount.

"I'm beginning to feel it. I guess two bottles is my limit"

"You've smoked two bottles already?"

"The one at the party and three fourths of this one."

"Impressive!"

"I can outdrink most men, on a good day."

"I've seen it. But I think this bottle will do me in. I'm feeling the burn of the booze too. By the way, I have yet to see you in your bathing suit…"

"I've been bouncing around this resort for two days poolside…your loss"

Daniel gave her a look, something didn't add up. He had a tidbit of information from Betty that didn't fit in with her story. Wilhelmina admitting her weakness of being tipsy was a mistake she didn't even realize she had made.

"I'm curious, what did you do when you first saw Connor?"

"I hit him. Slapped him back to his roots down unda!" Wilhelmina recalled (with her best Australian accent) hitting Connor on that same beach. The hook of her hand against his wet skin caused her to swallow hard.

"Wait, then how did you know he was in the cabana? You hit him in front of everyone…"

"I uh…it uh…all happened so fast."

"Wilhelmina, did you know he was here?"

"NO! I was as blown away by his reappearance as everyone else. I thought he was dead!"

"So what happened? How did he end up in your cabana?"  
"He broke in"

"What did he say to you?"

"What's with all the questions?" Wilhelmina snapped. Daniel stared her down, she continued exasperated "Nothing…except that he loved me, missed me, and he wanted me to runaway with him again. For a moment I really contemplated it. He said he had a yacht waiting for me. And then I heard the sirens, and I ripped away from him. He was clinging to me to keep me from getting out the door and you saw the rest"

"That couldn't have been easy?"

"No, it wasn't. Turning in the man I…well anyway, what's done is done"

"Do you still love him despite everything?"

"It doesn't matter, he's going to be put away for a long, long time and it was because of me."

"Don't feel guilty. You did the right thing."

"The right thing always fucks me in the end. I'm better off doing the bad thing. Somehow it always works out for the better and usually in my favor. I'm not meant for good things."

"I'll take that bet and double down. You make bad look good!"

"Ughh, Daniel that was deplorable. What do I look like a hotel hooker? You're better than that!"

Her timing and delivery of her last statement caused Daniel to laugh out loud. He laughed so hard he lied down on his back and held his gut. His laugh was contagious and despite trying to hold it in Wilhelmina laughed out loud with him and said "its not that funny!"

Daniel laughed harder and rolled on his side to face her. Daniel's laugh was contagious, and the giggles were uncontrollable between them. It might have been the booze, or the stress of the last few days but Wilhelmina teared in laughter. The laugh made her body shift as she threw her head back to stare at the sky and not look at Daniel to stop laughing.

As Wilhelmina's mini skirt shifted up, Daniel noticed bruises resembling fingers on her upper thigh. His eyes travelled to her exposed back as her halter-top shifted enough for him to see the same bruises peaking out of her top, along her ribcage. And then the final mark that caught his attention was a small purplish bruise under her ear. He gently touched her thigh, immediately prompting her head to shoot down to his hand. "Hey, what happen here?"

"Its uh, nothing" She pulled her skirt down to cover Connor's marks.

"Wilhelmina, tell me the truth…are these from Connor?"

"No! Besides it's none of you business! My love life if none of you concern"

Daniel got up and stood in front of her, trying to collect all the words threatening to come out of his mouth. "YOU LIED TO ME! How long did you know he was here?"

Wilhelmina pled the fifth, no answer.

"How long did you know?" Daniel repeated more calm this time. Nothing.

"ANSWER ME!" He raged.

"Since yesterday!" She yelled back at him, her eyes full of fire now. She shot to her feet, meeting him eye to eye.

"You're such a vindictive liar! Betty told me she saw you frolicking topless at the pool yesterday by your cabana. It didn't make any sense to me then. You were supposed to be managing the shoot and you were prancing around without a care in the world! While you were fucking Connor, you were fucking me over worst of all!"

"You were testing me you son of a bitch?"

"I was hoping my gut feelings were wrong that I could trust you. You knew he was here and you didn't tell me! You stupid, stupid woman"

"I'd be careful if I were you with that tone! You don't understand…" She threatened and got right in Daniel's face.

"This is ludicrous…You set that whole little scene up in front of all of us this afternoon! Is there anything you wouldn't do?" Daniel grabbed his head in disbelief. "I should go to the police and turn you in for harbouring a fugitive! A fugitive who fucked me and my company out of everything! You watched me struggle for weeks, giving up my pride for my family legacy to live on! I was forced to hand over everything that finally began to mean something in my life, the legacy that gave me purpose… I had to hand it over to a stranger…. to Hartley because of that piece of garbage and you want me to understand why you kept something this huge from me? I can't even look at you!

"Daniel, listen to me…"

"NO! NO! You are every word what people say about you. I was beginning to trust you Wilhelmina! I wanted to offer you your job back when we got home, to be my partner again especially after hearing the announcement at Isabella...I would have fought for you. I would have fought Hartley and my mother for you because I believed in our partnership but fuck that!"

Daniel was so irate at this moment and Wilhelmina just watched his anger build. She had never seen him in this state. He really couldn't look at her. He just held his forehead grasping all the information that he was processing, staring into the blackness of where the ocean met the sky. Wilhelmina stepped closer to him, dangerously close. Her tone was soft, there was no need to antagonize him further. She looked down and swallowed her pride and said "Daniel, please listen to me…what if…what if Molly came back to you, needing you? Just one more time?"

"NO! Don't even say her name to me with that deceitful mouth of yours! I will never understand, don't even try to convince me. This is Bullshit…" He took a few steps backwards and began walking away from her. His final words ripped her open, "You know, you told me your coldest weapon of all was you sex…boy you weren't kidding you evil, evil bitch!"

With that Daniel left Wilhelmina there after the nuclear verbal showdown. She really had nothing to say to him. Her toxic love affair with Connor screwed her again, this time taking her one ally and destroying everything left she had hanging by a thread.

Daniel marched through the hotel corridor, stirring in his anger and betrayal. He reached his destination and aggressively banged on the door. The door unhinged and there stood a leggy, petite blonde.

"Daniel what are you doing here?" Amanda slurred, clearly affected by the partying she did at the Mode party.

"You want to do this? No strings attached."

"Yes, boss!"

The door shut behind Daniel. This outburst of anger and aggression made him feel alive again post Molly's passing. He was ready to move on and release everything that panged him. Something snapped in him in those early morning hours. Daniel became his father in those short moments of betrayal by Wilhelmina and things were about to change at Mode.

In the land of gods and monsters, the Bahamas was a paradise of all things evil.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Wilhelmina drove back to Manhattan in silence, needing to regain sometime to sort peace of mind from the chaos of the past weeks. Not having to report in since her departure from Mode gave her some much needed time off after the years of sacrificed vacation time and excessive logged hours spent chained to her desk. Yet Wilhelmina had a hard time coming to terms with this excessive time to her self. This was the first real time off in over twenty years and she almost forgot what to do with it. How could she relax? She hadn't been working in weeks, her lover was locked up in the state pen doing hard time, her daughter was god knows where in the world, and even her loyal sidekick Marc was now too busy working for her former partner/ally Daniel to spend the same time with her as he once did. And then there were those pestering recent memories of that trip to the Bahamas. That trip had left Wilhelmina with new battle scars to conceal and heal, all on her own. She was hoping a miracle wave of strength and resourcefulness would come to set a plan in motion to regain some sort of control. She was hoping it would happen soon because she couldn't keep up this façade anymore. She had too much time to think, to dwell with not enough distractions to help pass these thoughts.

It had become a recent routine visiting Connor behind bars. She would arrive, she'd wait in solitude, the guard would usher him in, the door would close shut, and their conjugal affair would commence leaving off where they started in the Bahamas. Every forty-eight hours, Wilhelmina would make the two-hour drive upstate, and on that day at 10am sharp like clockwork, they would go at it. They barely spoke, they just comforted one another with the familiarity and passion they shared. In the four weeks that she started making the trips up, the glamour and excitement was already starting to wear thin. She felt like one of those mafia wives in the movies, desperate and hopeless at the turn their relationship had taken. This is not what she was accustomed to by any means, dating a convict. The wait and anticipation were exciting at first but when she was forced to leave the cold, damp, concrete room, a small part of her heart died every time, enough for her to start to feel resentment. She was beginning to shut down to the situation. It was beginning to anger her. It was beginning to make her resent Connor and what he did to her and Mode in the first place. Every second day on her drive home she started to wonder why she made the trip up in the first place as she was left feeling more empty and void inside every time, and on some days, more furious than she had led herself to believe. She refused to tell Connor how she felt, because she figured he was dealing with enough stress, and besides their trysts left for very little time to talk.

She turned down her radio in her Range Rover as she accelerated past the slow car ahead of her. Her thoughts started to overwhelm her. She managed to shake the paparazzi that tried tailing her from the state penitentiary after another visit. She knew there would be fresh shots of her in the local and national tabloids with some clever quips of her leaving the big house. Those pictures mortified her. Here she was the daughter of a high profile senator, an accomplished executive and a socialite and she was crawling around some seedy scene with her criminal boyfriend. The pictures were a painful reminder of how her life took a very wrong turn in the name of love. They reminded her that she was kidding herself in this situation, trying to be something she was told herself she was not, a desperate woman in love. And the worst part of the situation, she would always crawl back to him knowing Connor put them both in that situation in the first place. He couldn't have just been happy in the high profile position CFO position at Meade and in a relationship with her? But that's the thing with greed, it sucks you in and nothing is ever enough. You can never find happiness when your already paying attention wanting the next conquest, something bigger, better, and more lucrative. If someone would have told her a year ago this is where she would end up, Wilhelmina would have chewed them up and spit them out. Alas, it had become her reality, partly by her own doing. The only way she could undo it was to walk away from Connor once and for all. She teared at the thought, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, not just yet. Her mind wouldn't let her go there.

Daniel sat at the helm of his desk. Marc sauntered in with a stack of the competitions recently published magazines and a cup of java. He placed them on Daniel's desk without a word exchanged. Daniel gave him a curt nod and he reached for the stack. He flipped through and picked up the NY Post. There she was on Page 6, clad in a leather pencil skirt, fur coat, oversized sunglasses and six inch stilettos with the headline "Slater Committed for Life…at least 10 to 20". Daniel shook his head at the photograph and scoffed. This was not the hell-raising woman he knew. She looked the part but her body language was unfamiliar to him, she looked common, almost broken. It had been weeks since their heated exchange and Daniel was still as furious about the situation as he was the night he confronted her. Something in him had snapped in the early morning hours that night on the beach. It was the ultimate betrayal. He had been kind to her, extending the olive branch not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He was stupid enough to sympathize with her on another level. He was stupid enough to be kind to her. He was stupid enough stay with her when he should have left her there broken in her own pool deceit that night at her apartment. Daniel was betrayed in the worst way. Their relationship was just that, _their_ relationship. It was never official defined as more than colleagues but somehow they battled through the trenches everyday, and he was convinced himself that there was mutual respect and friendship. There was a few defining moments in his life where he felt a physical and emotional change happen, and that night in the Bahamas was one of them. He was less willing to trust people. He decided that night from now on he was out for himself. Daniel went cold.

In these few short weeks after the ordeal, Daniel's confidence became arrogance. Daniel's good-natured attitude and enthusiastic outlook became authoritative and unyielding. His responses became short and abrupt and his patience almost non-existent. All he wanted were results and he didn't care how his team at Mode got there, he just wanted the results delivered. He wanted what he wanted, no excuses. All of Daniel's relationships had strained, changed, and morphed into something unfamiliar to everyone who was once close to him including his mother, Betty and even Amanda. His hot affair with Amanda was passionate in the moment and disposable as soon as it was over. Even Amanda had second thoughts about the whole arrangement, but she was too afraid to voice her opinion to Daniel, in fear he would fire her. It's like Daniel had become his father, a man of few words and comforts. Even physically Daniel had changed. His frustrations were taken out at the gym, clocking extra time to clear his head of thoughts of Molly, Wilhelmina, Connor, and the affair that caused this chaos to ensue in the first place. His suits became a little more structured, and monochromatically dark. His body language became a little more harsh and deliberate, and his employees knew the boss of days past was not there anymore. The culture at Mode had changed and nobody knew why, except for Marc.

Watching Daniel through the big circular window, Marc pulled out his blackberry and messaged Wilhelmina.

Marc: Hi Willie, how are you?

Wilhelmina: Marc, fine thank you. You?

Marc: Been better.

Marc: Come home Willie…

Wilhelmina: I'm in town, not travelling

Marc: No, Come home to Mode. Things are not good.

Wilhelmina: Not possible

Marc: Yes it is. You know what you have to do.

Wilhelmina: Can't

Marc: Can't or Won't?

Wilhelmina: Both

Marc: Dinner soon?

Wilhelmina: I'll message you soon Driving

Marc: Ok. Bye Willie. Miss you J

Wilhelmina: Bye

Wilhelmina couldn't help but think was Marc right? Was that the only way to get her life on track? Fix what went wrong in the first place? By righting that wrong, could she shake these feelings plaguing her? The look in Daniel's eye that night on the beach stabbed her in her proverbial gut, and she kept bleeding after that night. She had schemed many, many times before without remorse, but this betrayal Daniel referenced was a guilt she thought she would never feel, especially of all people for Daniel. The guilt and remorse kept coming up, like vicious, vicious bile and keeping her nauseous even weeks after. She was tried of feeling. She just wanted everything to go back to normal, but she knew she would lose Connor, maybe once and for all, if she did attempt to do right by Daniel and in turn get her life back.

Two days later Wilhelmina found herself back in that cold damp, concrete, four walls, leaning against the steel table facing the heavy metal door with her arms crossed. As she heard the door clink open, her eyes full of intensity shot up. Connor entered, escorted by a guard. The clinking of the restraining cuffs against the concrete floor and by his movements rattled an anger within her she had yet felt in their routine trysts. They were a painful reminder of the guilt and weight on her shoulders she kept dragging, like the chains Connor dragged behind him. He stood in front of her wordlessly, his chest puffed out in pride, his blue eye blazing through hers. The guard had removed the restraints and said, "You have one hour." Connor never took his eyes of Wilhelmina, taking in her image yet again as he always did for his lonely nights until he saw her again. She was all he saw, all he dreamed of. Wilhelmina was the reason he got through his days.

As the heavy door locked shut, Connor instinctively picked her up and sat her on the cold steel table. Wilhelmina put a hand on his mouth and put an arms length between them. "We have to talk."

"Ok, what's on your mind doll face?"

"I feel like my life is slipping away from me."

Connor sighed, he knew this day would come eventually.

"Well, I'm surprised you lasted this long"

"Come again?"

"Your just not that type of woman, it's ok"

"What type?"

"To stand by her man in these types of circumstances"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me loud and clear" Connor said annoyed at the possibility of losing her.  
"YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'VE SACRIFICED FOR YOU!" Wilhelmina's voice echoed through the concrete walls, ringing in Connor's ears as her fury lost its battle and released a vengeance that shocked him.

"What? Your job?" He challenged.

"You self serving, arrogant piece of shit! My whole life! I lost Nico because of you…" She seethed.

"You lost Nico by your own doing. What else you got? Your job? No one told you to quit Mode. You did that on your own."  
"I did it for you! You told me put it out there when I was ready for you to come get me. And you abandoned me." She couldn't even look at him at that moment. She turned her head and shook it with fury.

"I had to, to throw off the feds. You know this" His voice became softer.

"Look how well that turned out." Wilhelmina scoffed and jumped off the table. Her heels clicked against the concrete as she started walking toward the door.

"What do you want Wilhelmina? You came here for a reason and its not to bang, so what is it?" She stopped in her tracks. She turned on her heel and faced him "I just want to regain some sort of normalcy. I want my way back into Mode and I need you to make that happen." They now stood face-to-face, arms crossed, in a showdown of honesty.

"You want the money."

"Yes"

"And what's in it for me?" Wilhelmina slowly walked toward him, her hips swinging slowly, seductively, "If you truly love me, you would do this unselfish act for me. You would make the love of your life the happiest woman in the world. I get my job back, my power, and what makes me tick…what gives me purpose. My life goes back to normal."

"And me? What do I get?" Connor looked down at her not moving.

"Your conscience is eased knowing I am ok. Have you ever considered what it has been like for me? You have been gone eight months, free as a bird and I have been running up an impossible hill that has no end. Money troubles, deaths, relationships falling apart, being separated from you. My loneliness almost made have a nervous breakdown. I am not that woman, never have been."

Connor said nothing. Wilhelmina sighed.

"I have also spoken with my father to pull some strings to decrease your sentence if the money is returned to Meade. He can strike a deal with the D.A. She owes the Senator a favor. You will be out faster where we can finally be together everyday. Not like this. It just depends how much you really, truly love me…" Her eyes were soft and pleading. Connor thought very little about what she had just said to him and spit back "And rich boy gets it all back, including you."

"What?" She became defensive.

"You heard me. Do you have feelings for Daniel?" Connor challenged. The thought of his nemesis getting his money back that he so cleverly outsmarted him with and his woman cause a lash of jealousy that was uncontrollable.

"NO! God NO! Have you temporarily lost your god-dammed mind? Have you not heard a word I just said? I put myself in the line of fire every time I step foot outside my car and a photographer captures a painful reminder of how much I love you outside these prison gates."

"I don't know Wilhelmina…" Connor ran his hand across his face and was clearly torn by the love of his life and his ego.

"Connor what is it about you and this money? IT'S OVER! You are in here for twenty-five years with no chance of parole once convicted! You will be an old man when you sprung from here. You won't even be able to spend the cash with the time you will have left. You have no one to leave the money to, no children, no friends, no wife! By giving it to me, you will help me pass the time until you are free to come back to me. I will still stand by you, be here for you, but lets be honest with each other, how long can this go on without us being honest with one another and our futures. I want to marry you one day, and spend my last years with you and have peace in my life, once and for all. I don't want to run. I want to fight. If you love me, you'll give me my life back Connor…" Wilhelmina stared him in his blue eyes, desperately holding him close by the collar of his prison jump suit. Her eyes were threatening to spill over in tears and Connor's heart broke.

"…Ok"

"Ok you'll do it?" he nodded and leaned his head against hers.

"Thank you!" Wilhelmina whispered and kissed him with all the true love she had for him at that moment, hoping it would all leave her once and for all. She knew when she saw Connor the next time to pick up the documents for the transfers of funds, she knew she would have to break his heart. That morning she made love to him, knowing it may be the last time she would ever feel his lips and hands on her again, because she was sure he was going to hate her the next time he saw her.

Two days later the arrangements had been made. Connor's attorney met with the Wilhelmina and Connor to go over all the documents from Connor's financial statements. Hundreds of millions of dollars sat in Wilhelmina's accounts across the Cayman's, Switzerland and New York. Meade's monies were now officially in her possession. All the paperwork was handed off to her and she placed it in her Hermes for safekeeping. Connor watched the smirk spread across her tempting lips, like a Cheshire cat. Her eyes lit up knowing she was going to march into Mode that afternoon and take back what was hers. Wilhelmina assured the D.A. would be contact with his team of attorneys to propose a deal for his cooperation. Connor excused his attorney and reached for Wilhelmina's hands across the table.

Her face had changed and she leaned back in her chair. She crossed her arms and cocked an infuriating eyebrow in his direction. Connor looked at her in confusion at her body language. She crossed her legs and began her final assault.

"Thank you." She said in her best monotone.

"You're welcome doll face. So what's your plan?"

"Not your concern now." She sly shook her head at him.

He stared at her, her poker face unreadable. The smirk was undecipherable. He just watched her until it sunk in. She had just played him. He chuckled self deprecatingly, unable to accept it as the truth.

"Oh I get it…you clever, clever minx. You just fucked me, didn't you?"

"No Connor I fucked you two days ago. Today, I _ruined_ you"

"What?"

"You heard me. You told me in the Bahamas you wanted me to _ruin_ you. Guess what, I just did."

"So I suppose everything you said to me was a lie."  
"You fucked me eight months ago and this was a long time coming. I cried myself to sleep almost every night because of you. You couldn't help yourself. You just kept screwing with me even when you had already taken off. You fucked me with the private jet, you fucked me with Nico, you fucked me pretending you were dead, and you fucked me with Daniel."

"Daniel?"

"Yes, Meade. My partnership with him is non-existent because of you. I am going to have to claw my way back what is rightfully mine when I could have easily walked in if you didn't put your hands on me."

"Are you fucking him?"

She knew she would cut him deep with her next statement but she had to do it. "I fucked him big time in the Bahamas after you were arrested." She figuratively let Connor believe a deeper meaning to her last statement, when she knew by 'fucked' she really meant 'betrayed'.

Connor cut her off in his rage hearing her speak to him like this. "There's no deal with the D.A. is there?" He seethed.

"No there is, not that you'll benefit much from it."

Connor sat there in disbelief at the woman he was looking at.

"The deal that will come through will be moving you across the country, out of sight out of mind. Oh and a reduction of five years tops."

"Get out of my sight."

"Remember this moment every night. Live with this feeling everyday. Now you know what I went through, except something tells me I got over it a lot quicker than you ever will. Thank you for making it sooo easy. Goodbye Connor."

As she walked past him toward the door, he abruptly grabbed her in his fit of rage, his eyes full of hate. He yelled obscenities in her face and Wilhelmina stood there paralyzed in fear and shock. The commotion caused the guards to rush in and separate him from her. She straightened her wardrobe, checked her bag for the documents and never looked back again. Her power had shifted back in her favor, except this time the price tag was the severest price she had ever had to pay, her broken heart.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

It was Thursday night at the offices of Mode, past nine. Daniel sat at his desk going over the editorial content on deadline for tomorrow morning. He was striking through the documents with his red pen like a teacher, bleeding comments and fixing small errors. If only life's errors could be so easily fixed with the stroke of a red pen he thought to himself. All the employees were gone for the evening. Daniel was left by himself and his decanter of brandy. Even the janitors were long gone. It was so silent in the office, Daniel could hear the elevators travelling from floor to floor and the ring of the bell on various floors. He continued working.

He heard the elevator door open on the Mode floor and a set of heels click the linoleum floor. 'Who could that be this time of night? Amanda?' The sound became louder and louder and Daniel grew excited with anticipation of Amanda greeting him with a naughty visit. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of get up she would surprise him with. His blood went cold when he saw her turn the corner and stand in his doorway. Wilhelmina. Clad in her signature white, she stood there like a goddess, and her golden waves trailing over her white mink stole and cashmere wool coat. Daniel couldn't help but notice her face was as still if it carved in stone. The woman who stood at his door was very different than the one he saw in the paper a few days ago. It was the first time he had seen her since the Bahamas in the flesh. She still had an effect on him, except now it was feelings of anger and detest.

Wilhelmina stared at the man in front of her. She was taken aback slightly by his appearance. She anticipated he would have greeted her with an air of coldness, but she did not anticipate the man who stood in front of her. In weeks away Daniel had changed. His arrogance and serious demeanor caused her to stare at this new species of Daniel, clad in his tonal black on black Armani suit tailored to perfection. She couldn't help but see a part of Bradford in him. She liked it.

"You're not welcome here." Daniel's eyes shot up as quickly as they looked back down at the paper in front of him.

"Daniel, before you call security, hear me out" She started opening her coat and walked into his office.

"What could you possibility have to say to me? Didn't you say enough in the Bahamas? Or should I say 'not said'" Daniel spat not looking up from the article he was still circling aggressively.

"Ok I get. You made your point." Wilhelmina said as she flung her coat on the seat in front of his desk and rolled her eyes, not to be intimidated by his smarminess.

"So say what you have to say and get out!" Daniel barked.

"I have the money." She said slowly and deliberately.

"What?" Daniel looked up at her with his full attention. She was clad in a white figure hugging suit, her jacket cut on a bias with a large Fendi waist belt clinging to her small waist.  
"You still want me to leave?" She sarcastically quipped and pretended she was going to take off, with her eyes wide for drama.

"What money?"

"Meade's money you dope."

"Is this a sick joke?"

"No joke." She put her purse down on his glass desk, Daniel never taking an eye off her. Wilhelmina leaned in and bent over the large desk to reach for his half drank glass of Brandy and washed the remainder down. "I needed that after my day."

She reached in her purse and dramatically slammed the folder down on his desk and continued, "Right now just over four hundred and fifty million is sitting in various personal accounts of mine. It's all there, with exception to what Connor has already spent. I will cover the amount personally for all the trouble." Daniel stood up and reached for the folder. He flipped it open and started rifling through the documents. She wasn't lying. All the official bank notes and documents where legitimate. No forgeries, all ratified.

"What do you want?"

"I want to come back home, to Mode. I want to buy out Hartley and everything goes back to normal. Thirds, like it once was."

"This isn't your home Wilhelmina."

"I put over twenty years into this place, built it to what it is today. I saved it numerous times, and this time is no exception. I did what the FBI couldn't do. You need me if you want to get rid of Hartley."

"Suppose I do reinstate you and your stake, then what…wait till you betray me again?"

"Ok, I see this is going to be more complicated than I had hoped. What are we talking about here Daniel?"

"I don't have time for this sh..."

"Well make time if you want your money back."

"Don't threaten me you lying bitch."

"Ok can we drop the names please? It will make it a lot easier to sort though all of this."

"No I'll tell you what's going to make things easier, you are going to give me back what is rightfully mine without holding anything over my head, or I am going to call the cops and tell them you conspired with your lover to steal from me."

"Why would you do that? It's not necessary."

"Because you've screwed me for the last time Wilhelmina. I owe you NOTHING!" Daniel yelled.

"You owe me EVERYTHING, without me you would have fallen flat on your face within months of being on the job. Without me, rumor on the street is that advertisers are falling like flies. Without me, there would be no money! Without me Mode does not work and you know it. I love this magazine more than I love anything or anyone. Have I not proven that over and over again?"

"But with you it's always something. I can stake my life within weeks you will be holding something against me to squeeze your way for something more. I can't trust you."

"Look, I know my track record is questionable, but how do you think I got the money back in the first place? You think he just handed it over to me, padded me on the ass, and said 'go get'em baby?'" She gave him a look of common sense and left the question hanging in the air. Daniel took his opportunity to lace her and knock her off her peg of power.

"Of course not, you fucked him for it back, like a wh-" This was not the Daniel she once knew, he never would have spoken to her like that. She was taken aback by his bravado, but he was right. Her eyes widened in shock and instinctively cut him off with her palm up in protest, "You're right, but don't you say it out loud!"

It was Daniel's turn to stand aback by her admission. She just took it from him. They looked at one another in this very ugly, uncomfortable moment. Deep down Daniel regretted saying it to her the moment it left his mouth but he wanted to hurt her. She looked down at the glass desk in front of her and placed both her palms on its surface and leaned in as though she was telling Daniel a secret. She softly continued, "But I also screwed him for it. I betrayed him to do right by you. I gave him up for Mode. You need someone like me in your corner Daniel, and if that doesn't prove my loyalty to Mode, Meade and you, I don't what does?" Inside Daniel was so turned on by what she just said to him, she screwed Connor to do right by him. His ego inflated ten fold and all he wanted to do was throw everything off his desk and reward her by her act of loyalty. But he coolly denied her the pleasure and said, "I'm still not convinced." He wanted her begging like he told her that night in her apartment.

"Look, I understand you have your doubts, but we can draw it up in black and white, clear as day what the terms and expectations are, me, you and our attorneys, tomorrow. I understand it will take time for you to trust me fully and go back to where we once were, but you know I am right. I am more a Meade than Hartley is and you know it."

Daniel walked around his desk and picked up another crystal glass and stood in front of her. He handed it to her and picked up the decanter. He silently poured the amber liquid as she held the glass. Her eyes scanned him for any response or agreement.

"Well?" She asked in her annoyed tone. Daniel kept her hanging as he re-poured his glass that she drank out of. He brought the glass to his lips, tasting her lip gloss on the rim, never breaking eye contact with her.

"Welcome Back Wilhelmina. We deal with Hartley in the morning."


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

{this chapter is my take on how that elevator scene should have went}

New York was plunged into darkness, and Daniel and Wilhelmina were trapped in the elevators of Meade. They both stared at one another in shock not sure what to do. Panic clearly written across both their faces.

[Several hours earlier]

Several weeks had past since Wilhelmina's epic save of Meade Publications. The staff was ironically relieved to see her, they knew what she had done to save the magazine and her respect level amongst the staff was at an all time high, but it hadn't changed the fact that they were still terrified of her. They knew this was going to be a new era. The tension between Wilhelmina and Daniel was evident by all. The power struggle between the two of them was an exhausting strategic game of risk with pieces, people and projects consistently shifting. It was like watching two titans duke it out to proclaim bragging rights as the master of the universe. But this friendly competition was not like it was in years past. There was something underlining in the duke outs. There was an electrically charged energy pulsing between the two of them bigger than the friendly competition between them. The stares and quick quips didn't go unnoticed by Marc who could have sworn it was sexual tension. Betty thought Marc was nuts, and knowing Amanda's history with Daniel warned Marc not to share his little theory. With Daniel acting out in his newly established arrogant demeanor and drawing the clear lines in the sand, Wilhelmina responded by hellaciously halting every project Daniel put forth. Things were back to normal at the offices at Mode.

They both had so much to prove, but some how they both had concluded to rebrand Mode and restore it back to its previous beacon of fashion glory. With the media creating a circus frenzy with Wilhelmina's return and Hartley's departure, it was perfect timing to breath new life into Mode. One couldn't buy publicity like that! The top-secret project was in full swing and the two co-editors and chiefs were burning the midnight yet again.

"Daniel!" Wilhelmina barged into Daniel's office with a stack of storyboards in hand of proposed creative directions and page stylings for the revamp. At that moment, she had no regard for what he was doing or working on.

"Are these proposals a joke?" She threw them on the edge of his desk with vigor.

"C'mon on in." He dryly acknowledged her already aggressive presence. She was not amused. Daniel continued "Uh, yeah, they are actually. I had these drawn up as stand-ins as the real ones are still waiting to make a surprise visit in art department's dreams."

"Cute, I see that sparkling sense of humor is back. Daniel these are garbage! This one looks like a five year old did it, this one looks as bland as a daily at the supermarket, and this one is a teenage girl's doodle on her school textbooks! Pink font, really? I should have the person who came up with this on put in front of firing squad of paintball guns!"

"Ok, don't get you panties in a bunch…" She gave him a warning look"…you can meet with creative in the morning and tell them to come up with other options. You don't need to give yourself a coronary."

"Change the tone Meade…I'm not in the mood."

"Need I remind you, you barged into my office unannounced and…"

"Please…. Like you're actually doing something and not surfing the web for porn!"

Daniel looked at her as she made her way to his liquor stash. He watched her silently pour herself some vodka, as he leaned back in his tilting chair, amused. He had a nice view in front of him. He made no secret that he was staring at her figure poured into that hot pink dress. Hoping she would catch him, Daniel cleared his throat to get her attention as he placed his hands behind his head with a stretch.

"What?" She looked over her shoulder as she fidgeted with ice cube in her mouth.

"Aren't you going to offer to pour me one too?"

"I'm not your waitress, nor your bitch." Her index finger aggressively popped off her glass to warn him if her tone didn't already do the trick.

"No, but a lady knows her manners especially considering that's my stash."

Wilhelmina said nothing and played with the ice cube in her mouth, clicking it between her teeth. Amusingly she put down the drink on the table and made a drink for Daniel. She strolled over to him and placed it a little further than arms length in front of him. With a flick of her fingers she pushed it to him. No words exchanged, he turned his laptop closer to her view to show her what he was working on.

"It's not porn, it's the new layouts for our editorial pieces and the detailing of artwork standards for the new concept." Wilhelmina walked over to his side of the desk and bent over steadying herself one arm on his chair and the other on the desk to look at the screen. "I am creating a standardizing guide to help alleviate questions and reworks that we always comment on when the book is put together, like logoing, sizing, quote features etc. This way the staff saves themselves time and us from having to continuously comment on it. Its all there in the guide and what the expectations are. " She looked back at him and simply said "Oh, clever."

"Are you leaving soon?" Daniel asked her.

"Yes. My brain is pretty fried. You?"

"Soon…almost done with this."  
"Ok, well I'm going to pack up. I'll let you know when I'm leaving."

"Why, you want me to walk you out? You could just ask."

"Don't be stupid." Wilhelmina scoffed.

"It's the gentlemanly thing to do, after all, you were so kind to make me a drink."

"Ugh" Wilhelmina groaned and rolled her eyes to the heavens. She had had enough of Daniel. She marched out of his office with a dramatic clack to her step in annoyance. Daniel smiled at her little performance and yelled out "I want my glass back!" as she turned the corner out of sight. He laughed to himself at her dramatics, they always did entertain him.

As Daniel stood at the elevator doors, he heard the click of her heels and he smiled in spite of himself. She was not going to be amused he beat her to the elevators. He was secretly glad to have her back. Wilhelmina kept him sharp, although he would have never admitted it to her. He stood paralyzing still waiting for her to say something to him. Her exaggerated fur coat engulfed her tiny frame. 'Odd choice' he thought to himself as they both stared at the lights above the elevator. Not a word out of her. As the elevator opened, he allowed her to step through first. They stood shoulder to shoulder.

Daniel looked over in her direction at the 40th floor, nothing. Wilhelmina looked over at Daniel at the 27th, no reaction. Until the elevator shifted to a screeching halt and the power went out. They both instinctively grabbed for the walls at the uncomfortable motion and looked at each other wide eyed.

"No, no, no…this cannot be happening!" Wilhelmina exclaimed as her fists pounded on the elevator doors.

"Don't worry!" Daniel reached for the emergency phone and said "The building has generators for emergencies like this. I'll call down and let them know we are in here and they will transfer power to get us down safely." Wilhelmina nodded.

"Hi, It's Daniel Meade. We're stuck on the 27th floor. Can you get us down?" Wilhelmina watched Daniel. He was surprising calm. "I see, well how long…but what about the generator? I see. Ok well are you going to call back when…ok."

"Well?"

"The power is out in the entire city, city wide black out. They said they will call us back if they can get the back up generators to work."

"Why does this have to happen to me! I'm a good person, I don't deserve this." Wilhelmina whined.

Daniel scoffed "Um, you seem to think highly of yourself. Just sit tight."

"Only you would think 'sitting tight' is a good plan. Be a man, do something!"

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

"Avoidance, another redeemable quality of yours. You never cease to disappoint me man-child."

"Hey, that's enough! I will not stand here willingly and be emasculated by you! I told you …" Daniel stopped mid sentence as his voice rose in tension.

"Told me what?" She challenged with her signature attitude and a scowl.

"Drop it Wilhelmina!" Daniel shifted his eyes and turned away to diffuse the situation.

"No, say what you have to say…" Daniel stood silently, not biting the bait despite her best effort to provoke him. "That's what I thought…I'm more a man than you'll ever be."

Daniel snapped. He grabbed Wilhelmina by the wrist and pushed her back against the wall of the elevator. He breathed heavily in anger as she had provoked him to the point of reaction. He pinned her against the wall. Wilhelmina was in shell shock. Their faces were mere centimeters apart and Daniel's tone through his angered breaths and rising chest spewed words full of detest, "Is this what you wanted? Hmmm…to get a reaction out of me?"

"Take your hands off me, now!" Wilhelmina seethed through her teeth, threating Daniel with all the terror she could muster.

"You're not happy when I'm good to you, you're not happy when a dick to you. What do you want?" He aggressively inquired, wide eyed and menacingly still pinning her body with one hand at her waist and the other holding her wrist against the wall.

"I said I want you to remove your hands off me or you'll be sorry." Wilhelmina didn't back down.

"Try me." He challenged, much more seductively than aggressively. Daniel was very turned on at this moment. He had Wilhelmina in a place of submission. He could smell that perfume that was all too familiar to him, now painfully engulfing his senses. It took him back to when she was pinned against him in nothing but that perfume and her lingerie in her apartment so many weeks ago.

"What did you not say to me?" Her curiosity peaked. Her breathing became unsteady. She liked his hands on her body, the feeling of him holding her. Her thoughts became muddy at that moment as his manly scent and strong hands began to feed her mind over rational thoughts. How he handled this question could change her reaction to the situation.

"That I am the only man who has ever been a man in your life. Stop treating me like a boy, you're only denying yourself the pleasure."

"And what pleasure is that?" She seductively whispered, closing her eyes in anticipation queuing Daniel an open invite.

Daniel brought his lips painfully slow to hers, savoring the kiss like a juicy piece of fruit. The kiss was a tempting tease. It deepened as the realization of the pleasure they both unexpectedly felt. The whole world went quiet and still. They were lost in the moment as their bodies responded to the visceral feelings that they denied for so many years. The years of clever quips, schemes, anger, resentment, competition all came down to this moment. Daniel's hands released her wrist and tightly gripped her hips as he tried to pin her body tighter between the wall and his hips and torso to feel every inch of her body pressed up against his. The pressure between them was so intense that steam could have escaped between them. Wilhelmina instinctively grabbed him by the back of his head, fist full of hair. Her newly freed hand grabbed him forcefully by the jaw as she spun him around to now have Daniel between her and the wall. With that shift they instantly separated and stared at one another in shock.

"What the hell was that?" Wilhelmina said out of breath.

"You are the most remarkable woman!" Daniel whispered resting his forehead against hers and went in again to kiss her and recapture the moment before it was broken by her panic. It was funny how this woman could make him build his walls mere weeks ago and knock them down with the same speed they went up. His hand pulled her by the waist, crashing her body closer into his. She could now feel his physical yearning straining against her body, turning her on to feelings of the secret desire she had for him in the recent weeks. His kiss was not what she expected, his hands didn't touch her in the way she imagined, they set her skin afire. Daniel was not the man she had led herself to believe. His mouth and touch were that of an expert man, and not of a horny lothario. She was pleasantly surprised at how much more sensual he was than she would have let herself imagine. But this was Daniel…Daniel…this couldn't be happening. She panicked.

Daniel stared at her seeing the panic in her eyes. She pushed him away with one hand, enough to put an arms length between them. She could feel his heart beating against his chest, they both heaved out of breath.

"We can't do this." Wilhelmina said matter of factly.

"Why?"

"Because, for one thing there are cameras…"

"Um, there's a black out, they don't work!"

"And two, we work together too close and this could be a problem. It's not responsible."  
Daniel just watched her spin her gears. She was panicking and he saw right through it. He placed a hand on her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb to calm her trying to catch her eye. As she did the last time he did that she ripped away and stood on the other side of the elevator, distance now very evident between them.

"Why are you so afraid of me?"

"Pardon me?"

"Every time I touch you or I'm gentle with you, you runaway."

"I don't runaway!"

"Yes you do."  
"Because I'm not the touchy feely type ok? I don't like it." She barked. Daniel watched the woman who was moments ago at his mercy, who was simply a woman and not the pre-programmed robot in front of him.

"You tell yourself you don't like it because you don't like feeling weaker in someone else's arms…"

"Stop trying to psychoanalyze me! You don't know me!"  
"It doesn't make you weaker being held in someone's arms."

"Daniel, enough with the Nicolas Sparks shit! Its not me!" She yelled at him.

He didn't want to argue. He slumped down to the floor in defeat and sat down rubbing his face through his scruff trying to figure what to say to her not to set her off again and calm his own body down from the excitement that just transpired. She mirrored his movement, exhausted by the energy she had just exerted. They sat across from one another, legs extended on opposite sides of the elevator. After a few minutes of sitting in silence, Daniel playfully kicked her foot to get her attention. She gave a look of annoyance and he laughed. He did it again to get a rise out of her.

"Hey, did you ever think about that night in your apartment? If we had you know…"

"…Had sex?"

"Yeah"

She sighed, crossing her arms around her body, "I do, but its better it didn't happen."

"Yeah, you're right."

Silence.

"I meant everything I've ever said to you, and not just because it was a moment of desire or temptation."

"I know. You're an honest person. Funny enough, besides Marc, you're the only other person I believe, every word out of your mouth. You're almost too honest Daniel."

"Its my weakness."

"It can be depending on the circumstances. Honesty can be a pretty powerful thing. It can do more damage to your enemy than you even realize, if used wisely of course. Trust me."

"How do you mean?"

"It sticks with you. Honesty replays in your mind and weakens by constantly ringing in your conscience, because it's the truth. It can play tricks on you against your better judgment. Take Connor for example, when he said he loved me it weakened my better judgment, not once but several times, and led me to make stupid, stupid choices."

A silence fell between them.

"How do you feel about me?" Daniel boldly asked.

"What?!" Wilhelmina was taken aback.

"C'mon level with me, do you have any feelings for me? That kiss was…wow"

"That kiss was just pure lust Daniel. Don't read too much into it. It's been a while for me."

Daniel felt like he just took a bullet. He kicked himself inside for opening up this conversation with her. He scratched at his head to think of something to say quick as his eyes scanned the floor. Wilhelmina inhaled deeply and closed her eyes at her next admission "Believe it or not, I've grown to care for you, but I don't know what it means yet. It felt good working with you to get rid of Hartley and re-rebrand Mode, instead of working against you. I like the idea of us as a team, rather than at each other's throats. But I've just started to piece everything back together after the Connor fiasco, so that's all I know right now. And lately…you've kind of, sort of, been looking quite handsome in your attire."

Daniel smiled, knowing how rare that admission was for Wilhelmina. He joked to lighten the mood, "That must have been like tasting vinegar coming from your mouth." She smiled and scoffed. He was funny too, but she wasn't going to lay it all out there, not at once.

"How do you feel about me?" she asked like a teenager at her locker.

"Truth?" he raised his eyebrows at her.

"Could I expect anything else from you?" the attitude creeping back in to her voice.

"You drive me crazy! Ever since the night you invited me back to your place after the black and white ball, I can't explain in detail all the feelings I've had for you because they have been all over the place, but I can't stop thinking about you. I desire you, I fear you, I admire you, I care for you, I want to fix everything that hurts you, and hurt all those responsible, I want to be there for you, I want to be by your side, I want to be the man in your life, the only man."

His response blew her away. She didn't expect it, at all. She stared at him letting his admission sink in her brain. Her eyes blinked quickly as she processed, her eyes threatening to betray her, as the hard look of steel was gone. "I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything, just think about what I said and get back to me when your ready. Until then, business as usual. Deal?" Daniel knew Wilhelmina well enough that an admission like that would be responded to in two ways, anger or silence. He was secretly glad it was silence.

"Deal." Wilhelmina was happy that Daniel didn't pressure her for a response. That was a lot to drop on her plate, after Connor. "Just don't make me regret saying it out loud." He kicked her shoe again and she snapped playfully "Stop doing that! These are Valentino for Christ's sake."

"What? We had to shake on it!" Daniel joked, his voice rising in playfulness, as did his shoulders. She smiled at him and genuinely laughed. He loved hearing her laugh because it was such a rare sound out of her. She was so complex and fascinating to him.

Their eyes locked and the feeling between them was electric. The honest moment between them spoke volumes. They sat for a few moments just looking at one another until Daniel said to her "I want to kiss you again."

"Well you know Daniel…" Wilhelmina slipped her fur stole off her shoulders, cocked her eyebrow and pursed her lips as she seductively leaned forward and started her slow movements toward Daniel."… Who knows how long we're going to be in here for…" she cooed as she started her crawl toward him. As she inched closer toward him not taking her eyes off him, "…and I can't think of a better way to kill time."


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

[Author's Warning: Strong Sexual Content in this chapter. I wrote this chapter as a flashback sequence to allow for more drama in one chapter. Enjoy!]

Wilhelmina sat at her vanity straightening her last pieces of hair staring at her reflection. She couldn't help the small smile creep across her face at her mood and excitement for the evening ahead of her. She had done it again! Tonight was the launch of the re-brand of Mode, and of course in Mode fashion there was to be a party to celebrate. Everyone was going to be there, media, advertisers, investors, models, executives, celebrities and socialites. She couldn't wait to see Daniel and the promise that this evening had in store.

She peered over her shoulder in the reflection in front of her at her dress hanging on the closet door. She chose an emerald green, long-sleeved, sequin, Dolce & Gabbana cocktail dress, for two reasons, one was because the design house heavily invested in the first issue. In return for the lucrative business deal Domenico and Stefano offered Wilhelmina the dress exclusive before it even hit the runaway for the upcoming season. It was just good business. The other reason was because the color reminded her of Daniel. She fussed with the hair pins as she swept her hair up into a half up do, puffing the top for a little volume. She had normally had a team of beauty experts fussing around her, but this time she wanted to do it herself, as this project of re-branding Mode had a more special meaning.

The re-brand of Mode, was a cathartic experience. It was like Wilhelmina welcomed a rebrand to her own life. Everything was overhauled, changed, but still somehow still a version of what it was in the past, including her relationship with Daniel. They had been casually seeing one another outside the office after their little elevator tryst. By day they were colleagues, the line clearly drawn in the sand, and in the evenings they had been actively dating. It was exciting and organic, but they had yet decided to commit to one another and follow through on that commitment. Sex had always seemed to complicate Wilhelmina's relationships so she took it slow with Daniel, painfully slow. This had been the first relationship in a long time where she had been courted, given up control to her partner. Daniel welcomed the challenge to impress her, especially for a woman with Wilhelmina's tastes and expectations. There was a business first and foremost that had to be run, she often told herself to keep some form of control on her emotions. But it had been exciting too. The looks of longing, fully knowing the tension that they both felt, the anticipation through the days knowing they would see one another in the evening was enough to raise the temperatures in the office without anyone knowing why the office thermostat was on the fritz. But Daniel and Wilhelmina had a good idea what was going on.

She thought back to the last date they had, where the game had changed and her relationship with Daniel would be forever changed.

_Daniel had sent a town car to pick her up at her place without telling her any details accept the time to be ready. The mystery of the evening peaked her interest and she couldn't help but wonder what he had in store. After all, the whisk away to his vacation home in the Hamptons in a helicopter was a divine getaway, and the private concert by a Grammy award-winning singer in an empty auditorium with nothing but champagne and truffles from her favorite patisserie in Paris was a memory she knew would be hard to forget or outdo. Daniel was getting better and better at planning more intriguing plots and she had to admit to herself the sneaking around had been kind of fun and refreshing than just jumping into the sack from the get go. _

_The town car had pulled up to the east side peer, and the driver had opened her door to reveal Daniel waiting for her in the parking lot looking dapper in his suit as he fidgeted with his tie, smoothing out the last imperfections for her presence. He stood in front of a sleekest and most sizeable yacht, backlit in blue lights, ready to set sail around the city. _

_"So what's all this?" Wilhelmina asked as she walked toward him. Daniel extended his hand to her and she placed her hand in his. _

_"Well Wilhelmina, I wanted to recreate our first date, except this time smooth out the kinks. No annoying hostesses, no fires, no fighting, no pit stops at others men's apartments…" he wiggled his eyebrows at her at the reminder of the 'friend' she so conveniently dropped by the last time they were on a boat together. "…just a quiet, private, evening with all the lavish luxuries I could conjure up just for you."_

_"Oh, well you didn't mention dinner. The food was awful last time."_

_"Like you ate anything anyways! I seem to remember you pounding the Chardonnay."_

_"Ok so there better be lots of wine if I'm stuck on a boat with you again."_

_"Is that what it takes to get through a date with me?"_

_"No, it takes hard liquor." She quipped hitting him playfully with her clutch in his torso as she grabbed his hand and started pulling him on the boat. _

_That evening Daniel had wined, dined, and had fallen all over himself to please her. Daniel had brought his chair closer to hers and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Close your eyes." The feel of his breath on that tender part of her skin sent chills down her spine. He sensually placed a kiss below her ear and she could feel him immediately pull away as the air around her cooled instantly. Her eyes stayed shut and did as she was told. _

_"Open your eyes." _

_Wilhelmina's eyes fluttered open and looked at Daniel. He looked down on the table to guide her eyes as to where she should have been looking. She gasped in surprise and Daniel smiled in pride, as he managed to take her breath away, literally. _

_"I had this commissioned just for you by my friends at Harry Winston. The emeralds are two perfect pear shaped 24 carat stones. Your eyes blazed this color of green the night you came into the office to save Mode."_

_"It was the greed shining bright Daniel." She joked trying to comprehend the gift sitting in front of her._

_"Call it what you will, but it was only logical when I saw stones, that they reminded me of you. And then there are 120 round and pear shaped diamonds, one for every day since you came back to Mode, and back into my life."_

_"Daniel! This is exquisite." She ran her fingers across the chards of heaven that he had commissioned for her. She looked him deep into his crystal blue eyes seeing the pride and desire in his gaze. She couldn't doubt him or the honesty in the look. In typical Wilhelmina fashion she couldn't resist the joke sitting on the tip of her tongue "120 days? Really? I didn't realize you could count that high Daniel."_

_Daniel smiled at her and touched her face bearing his eyes into hers and thoughtfully said, "I'm going to ignore that quip, but only this time, and tell you that I wanted you to know what you have come to mean to me, insults and all."_

_"Are you sure about this?" _

_"I must be out of my mind, but yes. I don't know why this is happening now, and why but I trust it. I care very deeply for you Wilhelmina. My affections for you have come as a surprise to me, but that's what I like about this, all of it. It makes it all so intriguing and genuine. Through animosity came respect, through respect came friendship, and through friendship came loyalty. I want to explore with you the next step and make things official. How do you feel about all of this?"_

_"I think…I feel… I know now that I am ready to try…with you. But what if it doesn't work?"_

_"Then we go back to a place of respect. Those are the terms." She nodded and genuinely smiled at him as she leaned to kiss the new man in her life. _

_He placed his hand around her waist from behind as the wind blew in her hair. Wilhelmina stared out at the view of Manhattan as the lights of the city danced off of the black waters of the river. She felt like she was alone in the world with Daniel at that moment, and none of the chaos, the noise of the city's stresses, deadlines, and commitments meant anything at that moment. At that moment it was about the two of them floating on the happiness that they both deserved after a long and tiring road over the past four years at Mode. He slipped the necklace around her neck and the weight of it startled her. Daniel's hand slipped around her neck and up her jawline. He traced the crevasses of her neck gently with his fingertips as he tenderly tilted her head back toward his lips and kissed her sensually with all the passion he felt for her at that moment. Wilhelmina turned to press her body against Daniel. She pulled him closer by his lapels and held him tight in her grips. He ran his hands up her body feeling the curves of her breasts through her silk dress. His hands smoothly travelled around to hook her back and pull her toward him as he started walking backwards away from the railing. _

_Wilhelmina followed his body, magnetically being pulled in his direction. He led her into the private living quarters of the yacht. He separated from her for a moment and let her scan the room. It was filled with hundreds of tea light candles, making the room glow in the most romantic light. The dim lighting bounced off the immaculate piece of jewelry, setting her eyes a glow. Daniel walked across the room flicked the privacy button on the wall and instantly all the windows frosted over. "Your move." Daniel coyly quipped with an irresistible smile as he started to remove his tie. She devilishly smiled at him and locked the door she was standing in front of. _

_"Champagne Wilhelmina?" _

_"Of course." Daniel pulled a bottle out from the fridge and began pulling the foil off the top, as Wilhelmina removed her overcoat and threw it over the sofa along with her purse. She ran her hands through her hair and lifted her tussled golden waves off her neck to stare at her reflection in the mirror to her right side. Daniel had exquisite taste in jewelry she couldn't help but think. He watched her reflection and how she admired herself with his creation wrapped around her neck. As the cork popped she jumped at the sound and shifted her eyes back to Daniel, now making his way toward her. His crystal blue eyes blazed a darker shade of blue with every step he took closer toward her, his gaze narrowing with the naughty thoughts rolling around in his mind. She really did know how to fill in the little black dress. _

_"Like what you see Daniel?"_

_"Best view in Manhattan" _

_"Well, if you think this is a great view..." she started fidgeting with the hook of her dress behind her neck, "…then this one may 'peak' your interest and keep it a little 'longer'"_

_Wilhelmina popped the straps off and allowed the thin fabric of the dress falter to the floor. She stood in front of Daniel in her black sheer La Perla_

_ panties, Harry Winston diamonds and Louboutins, making no qualms what her intentions were that night. She came equipped to seduce him that night. This coy game they had going on was fun, but she was aching to see if this anticipation would live up to the moment they would come together. She walked toward him tantalizing, never taking her eyes off him. He licked his lips liking what he saw in front of him. Daniel's control at that moment even shocked him, but he didn't want to rush the moment. _

_"Uh…Pour vouz, madame" Daniel's voice betrayed him as he handed her a glass of Rose Moet, her favorite. _

_"Mmm…Merci." She purred bringing the rose to her lips and immediately kissing Daniel mixing the liquid with the taste of his lips. Daniel put his glass down on the counter and swiftly grabbed her by the waist and popped her on the granite countertop of the bar, kissing her with such intensity he had yet to experience with any other woman. As she started to kick her heels off he stopped her and said "Leave'em on."_

_He moved his mouth down her neck, suckling at the tender flesh, nipping at it to tease her senses. His warm tongue slid quickly down to her breast, tantalizing slick, as his lips pecked the flesh enough to send goose bumps across his path of seduction. Wilhelmina held his head guiding him to the spots that drove her crazy. Daniel slid both his hands up her thighs, caressing her soft, silky, flesh as he inched his way dangerously close to the point of no return. Through his stolen breaths against her skin, he playfully challenged her "tell me when to stop…" She let out a deep guttural chuckle. Daniel could feel the deepness of the vibration through the soft flesh of her throat, as his lips dragged back in the direction of her mouth. In response to his demand, Wilhelmina opened her legs, extending the invite. He chuckled against her skin at her bravado. _

_She gripped his collar and brought his lips back to hers. She ran her hands over the luxurious fabric of his shirt and started ripping at the buttons, never letting his lips go. She ran her nails down his exposed toned chest and ripped at the shirt that was constricted in the tuck of his pants. She ripped at it with such fervor that she tore the bottom buttons against his belt. Daniel was so turned on at that moment that he had to look at the woman in his arms. Both their chests heaved for air as they so intensely tried to devour each other's lips. For that short moment they separated, Wilhelmina grabbed for the bottle of Moet and brought it to her lips._

_ A pleasant surprise met her center as the champagne met her lips. Daniel caressed her through the thin veil of French lace and netting of her panties, as he watched her throw her head back in pleasure at his touch. She moaned against the bottle at the sensations that Daniel's touch caused her body. She felt her entire body melt beneath his expert touch, moaning at his teasing fingers. _

_He couldn't control his desire any longer. He had to taste her. As he tortured her with his fingers through the fabric, his voice painfully dripped with lust, "I've fantasized for a long time about what you taste like." Never one to miss a beat even in her moments of longing, a seductive smirk spread across her face. Wilhelmina uttered in a low tantalizing moan "Heaven...and champagne" She poured the cool liquid down her body gasping at the feeling against her burning skin that Daniel set on fire. His tongue followed the waterfall of liquid down the curves of her breasts, down her toned abdomen, to the place where he knew once he tasted he would be at her mercy. He forcefully tugged at the delicate fabric and ripped it off her body, tearing the panties off to one side at his fervor. He hooked her thighs to pull her closer to the edge of the bar and began his assault against the slick flesh of her clit. She let out a moan of pleasure that weakened Daniel at the knees. He was so turned on at this moment he felt like he was going to combust as his member painfully strained against his slacks. He wanted her to scream his name at that moment. He wanted all of her at this point and he made sure to work her up to the point of no control. _

_Never once using his hands, he used his mouth to expertly bring her to climatic release. Daniel figured out her tell when she was getting close. Her fingers pulled his hair tighter every time she cried out in desire. As he built her up to her last torturous moments to release, Daniel brought his lips to suck on the tender flesh. In a throaty cry of climactic release Wilhelmina screamed out his name as Daniel continued to torture her mimicking the vigorous movements his mouth just finished her off with, in a slow, agonizing manner. Each post orgasmic flick of his tongue caused her to convulse as her body was so painfully aware of his presence. _

_With a swift tug of his thick hair she pulled Daniel up to kiss her again as a reward for the pleasure he just gave her. A devilish smile of pride spanned across his face, knowing he melted the ice queen beneath his touch and he had her begging for more. This was Daniel's fantasy come true. Wilhelmina's lips tugged against his and she playful bit down on his bottom lip in her excited state. Seizing his opportunity he whispered in her ear "Wrap your legs around me and don't let go." _

_Daniel lifted her off the bar and carried her to the wall on the opposite side of the room, as she assaulted his neck and ear with her lips. She tantalizingly dragged her full lips over his ear and hoarsely stated, "I make the rules Daniel." In response Daniel crashed her body against the wall to shock her and support their tangled bodies for what he had in store next. _

_"I never played by your rules. I like breaking them." She smiled slyly at him, he was getting good at keeping up with her quips. Daniel bucked his hips up from under her to feel his now throbbing, fully erect member through his trousers. The feeling of the fabric against her sensitive part caused her to inhale deeply at the feeling of him teasing her entrance. His size excited her as she hoped he was as talented with his cock as he was with his mouth. "Hold me tight Wilhelmina. Don't… let… go!" She obeyed him as she wrapped her legs constrictingly tight around his waist and leaned back against the wall for more support. Daniel removed his belt, and the screech of his zipper made Wilhelmina bit down on her lip in anticipation. _

_With one swift motion he smoothly and deeply entered her. The feeling of the two of their bodies joining was so intense that they almost collapsed into one another. Wilhelmina buried her lips in collarbone and bit his broad muscular shoulder in response to the force of their coming together. Daniel breathed so deeply against her ear, trying to gain his bearings. It was the most passionate feeling she had ever felt with a man. He began moving against her, hooking his arm beneath one of her legs, while the other one held him tight around his waist. His rhythm was deep and excruciatingly lingering. Daniel was such a smooth lover, so in control and sensual. Her breaths were slow and steady, allowing her to concentrate on the feeling of every motion of his movements. As she started to let go of the world around her, she began to beg him for more. Her moans were met with his guttural groans of passion from Daniel. He felt like he was the most powerful man in the world, with Wilhelmina writhing against him. No sex before her ever made him feel more powerful. It was like all his senses were heightened. It was like hearing her breathless cries for him, and feeling her nails dig into his flesh made him feel alive again. _

_In a swift swoop, Daniel carried her body off the wall and placed her on the long, narrow dining table, never breaking their bodies apart. With her back flat to the surface and him standing over her he placed a hand down on her abdomen to steady the vigorous rhythm he intended for her. He began to thrust once again and she cried out in ultimate pleasure. She callout out for him as his pace sped up to the point of release. She had climaxed at his quick, steady and deep rhythm. Her free hand guided his hand to her lips as she licked the tips of his fingers as he continued to thrust. His hand holding her jawline, as she teased him with her tongue, entangled with the jewelry he had just gifted her. These were life's luxuries that only few men were privy too. _

_He guided her up to meet his lips, reveling at her unsteady breaths and uncontrolled movements. Their bodies were now glistening in the glow of the room, both breathing heavy. "I'm not finished with you yet Wilhelmina. We have some unfinished business."_

_"Do we?" She swallowed hard through her heaving breaths. He pulled her off the table and turned her back to him, tilting her head back and moaning a response "mmm hmmm…" Her lips were now very swollen from the assault of Daniel's lips. "I told you once I wanted you at your knees begging for it, remember back at your apartment?"_

_Her seductive throaty chuckle was the sexiest thing he had ever heard. "Oh I remember, so what do you want?"_

_"I want you to fuck me like your life depended on it…no like Mode depended on it, and then finish with me." _

_Wilhelmina pulled out a lavish chair from under the table and pushed Daniel down on the seat. She turned on her heel and crossed the room away from him. Daniel watched the swing in her hips as she picked up the bottle of champagne sitting on the bar where they began their tryst. The click of her heels, the sultry movements of her body, and the sparkle of naughtiness in her eyes was enough to make explode. She stood in front of his naked body, taking a swig of the sweet bubbly liquid, her eyes penetrating his as she placed the champagne on the table. She straddled his hips and began lowering herself, as she breathed seductively "don't take your eyes off me." Her legs began to quiver in anticipation and also in response to the previous orgasms Daniel had gifted her through his talents. The painfully slow movement of her body caused Daniel to reach for the bottle and bring the liquid to his lips. She lowered herself on his thick cock, the feeling causing Daniel's eyes to roll back in his head at his very sensitive feeling. She passionately grabbed his face and kissed him at their now joint bodies. She bucked her hips against his length, never taking her eyes off him. She bounced with more fervor as she felt Daniel's hands guide her through his own pleasure. He clamped down on her hips with his grip in desperation as she could feel him getting close. He began meeting her movements at a pace that caused her to cry out in the in most intense pleasure, hitting her g-spot. She was now screaming "Oh my God Daniel, don't stop…fuck me" in desperation, holding onto his hair for some grip to reality. As her body betrayed her for the last time, Daniel bucked hard, fast, deep as he came with her, never taking his eyes off her. His guttural release was enough for him to think he had lost his mind. It was the most incredible image her had emblazed in his memory. They sat there for a few silent moments, allowing their bodies to calm down from ecstasy they were both feeling. _

Wilhelmina shook her head to shake the memory of their bodies entwined. She zipped her dress half way and couldn't reach her hand high enough to get to the top. "Marc!"

Within a couple of seconds Marc popped his head into her bedroom, dressed in his finest Etro patterned blazer and ascot and an old school wet look comb over, "Yes Willie?" he cooed in his singsong tone.

"Can you zip me up?"

"Of course. Can I just say looooooooooving what is happening here!" he said as he made his way over and dramatically gestured toward her appearance.

"It's not too much, is it?" She looked at him quizzically through the mirror.

"Too much? Wilhelmina Slater, do you have a fever? 'Too much' and 'Wilhelmina' don't belong in the same sentence woman! Why do you ask?" He zipped her up and watched her through the reflection.

"No reason." She shook her head and unplugged the straightener. Marc gave Wilhelmina an inquiring look through the mirror. She had been acting off, not exactly strange but off, for the past few weeks. She had been smiling more, and she hadn't fired any staff so that wasn't the reason, and she'd been in a more bubbly mood, which was awkwardly similar to when she had been dating Connor. And her questions laced with a tinge of insecurity about her appearance were the most off putting behavior he had seen in a long time.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Shoes…" She demanded curtly. Marc walked over to where she had laid them out and picked them up. She turned to face him and Marc placed the Zanotti heels in front of her. "No reason, Willie is something going on?" Marc offered her his hand for balance as she stepped into the black patent platform heels.

"No, why do you ask?"

" You never need reassurance from me about your looks…its, well, weird."

"Marc don't read too much into it. I just don't wear sequins that often, and I wasn't sure, that's all."

"Well you look stunning, as usual. But while we're on the subject, are we liking this…" Marc gestured to his getup, fishing for a compliment from his Willie.

"Marc, get the stamp out…you have my approval. And we kind of match" She winked at him and smirked ever so slightly. Marc smiled at her knowing that's the closest he'll ever get to a full-blown compliment from the great Wilhelmina Slater.

"I'm so proud of you yet again Wilamaestro! This magazine re-launch is amazing. You really pulled off another coup. First the save of Mode and now this…legend woman, legend. Bravo!"

"I didn't do this all by myself. Can't believe I am saying this but, Daniel was a big part of it too."

"What? Did you just credit pasty face?"

"Pasty face is also your boss."

"Are you defending his honor…but why?"

"Because, for the first time I think ever, Daniel deserves credit. He was almost as good as me"

Marc gasped in horror and shock.

"O-M-G-I think a pig just flew by your window and it was bedazzled in Swarovski crystals. Are you feeling ok woman?"

"Marc I can't do this anymore…I need to get this out of my system! I think you should sit down for this because I don't think I could carry your scrawny body should you faint." Marc did as he was told and watched her pass him by walking out of her bedroom to her safe.

"Willie you're scaring me!"

She returned moments later with two jewelry boxes and stood in front of Marc. She opened the larger marked Harry Winston one and revealed the most immaculate piece of jewelry Marc had ever laid eyes on. His mouth gaped open as he stared at the glistening contents in the box as she placed it on her vanity. Mouth still gapping he looked up at Wilhelmina and waited for an explanation.

"This necklace is from Daniel. He has been courting me for weeks now. We have been seeing one another secretly and it has been the most refreshing, exciting and romantic courtship I have ever experienced."

Marc still stared at Wilhelmina wide eyed and mouth agape, as she opened the second box and revealed emerald and diamond tear drop earrings.

_Wilhelmina and Daniel lay in each other's arms on the rug in front of the fireplace of the living lounge of the yacht in a divine exhausted state. Daniel ran his fingers down the length of her body, caressing the smooth, silky flesh to lull her to sleep. As she began dosing off, Daniel gently whispered in her ear. "Wilhelmina?" She responded with an exhausted moan. "Open your eyes" She did as she was told and in front of her laid a small jewelry box opened to reveal a set of emerald and tear drop earrings to match her necklace. She reached for the small box and ran her perfectly manicured finger over the contents. She turned back to look at Daniel who was perched over her. She kissed him gently in appreciation and said dryly quipped with her eyebrow perched in self satisfaction "What, no bracelet?" Daniel laughed and poked her in the waist as Wilhelmina stifled a giggle. _

"Marc close your mouth, you don't want a fly to get in."

"Sorry Willie! I just, I just don't know what to say?" Marc shook his head slowly trying to process her revelation.

"There's more… I think I am falling for him."

"Willie" Marc gently started "do you think this is such a good idea? I mean you have such a deep-rooted history with this family. I'm scared you'll get hurt again." His tone was so serious and controlled, full of worry.

"I was hurt by Connor and he wasn't a Meade. Regardless, if I do this, despite Daniel being a Meade, I could get hurt. But I am willing to risk it. We are surprisingly good together, I keep him sharp and he softens me. I give him strength and he gives me tenderness. I am creative and he is tactical. I saved his company and he saved me. Marc he has a good heart and I think makes me a better person. We could be a publishing super couple professionally and personally… we could maybe make each other happier than we had ever been before."

"Willie, I don't know, that's a lot of maybe." Hearing her confession and knowing how much she was beginning to care for Daniel, his guilt was beginning to strangle him knowing about Amanda and Daniel.

"Look, I don't expect you to understand, I just had to get it off my chest because I have been feeling all these crazy emotions inside."

"I am afraid he is going to hurt you."

"How? We trust each other."

"Don't!" Marc said matter of factly, almost chastising her like a child.

"What the hell are you talking about? Spit it out!" Wilhelmina's tone was getting annoyed. She thought Marc would be excited for her, at least for the gossip portion of the news alone! She didn't understand why he was resisting the news and almost fighting her about it.

"He is sleeping with Amanda!" Marc blurted, he couldn't let her go down this road without knowing the truth. Daniel was two timing Wilhelmina. She felt like the wind was knocked out of her.

"No that's not true, explain yourself!" Her tone was now explosive.

"Amanda has been sleeping with him for weeks, since the Bahamas when he barged in her room drunk. They were back to their old ways ever since then. In the office, outside the office…"

"Enough!" She started heaving out of breath. Marc instinctively got up from the vanity and let her sit down to collect her thoughts. He put his hand on her shoulder for comfort and said, "I'm sorry, but I thought it was best you knew." Her breath steadied.

"Well…this is quite the development." Her tone instantly turned cold, she stared into nothing. Marc knew the monster had been awakened. "I think its time we head out, don't want to be late to my own party" she said in the most controlled, monotone voice.

Wilhelmina turned in her seat and looked at her flawless face in the mirror, not a tear in sight. She took out the earrings that Daniel gifted her and put them on. They would be her bait tonight for him to bite. She would torture him tonight before she sent him back into the deep, frigid waters of her wrath after he so shamelessly teased her with the possibility of happily ever after. Like she always believed the villain never gets the happy ending, but they do get the final word.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Daniel spoke to a reporter of an influential blog and news website, standing in the press line up. He was so proud that evening. He felt like he finally stepped into his own. He was now a Meade in every sense of the word. He had conquered his boyhood insecurities, and eloquently spoke to the legacy of the flagship publication and what his era would bring to the table. He felt very content with with himself and the cards fate dealt him as of late.

After Molly's death, Daniel couldn't imagine he would be in the frame of mind he was that day. He was convinced that life would never just level off to allow him the chance to take on the world again. Everything felt bleak, hopeless. But over the last few months, he finally found peace of mind. Now, because of Wilhelmina, he had one of the most powerful women in the publishing world as his better half, a new era of his company on the horizon, and the company's financial issues behind him. The trials of the last year had hardened him, made him smarter, slyer, but more humble than ever knowing that it could all be gone in a flash as fast as it came. For the first time in a long time, Daniel knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be at that moment.

Instinctively he knew Wilhelmina was in the room the moments the flashes of the photographers intensified as she sauntered up the grand steps of the venue, with Marc hot on her heels. The paparazzi were sent into a frenzy, calling out to Wilhelmina as she started the walk down the press line and the step & repeat to be photographed. She struck a few poses and dropped the designer credits for her outfit that evening. Daniel couldn't help but notice she radiated, stopping mid sentence to check out the scene, and his girlfriend. This woman was a force. He realized at that moment, he was head over heels in love with Wilhelmina Slater.

"Sorry Daniel, you were saying…" the reporter tried catching Daniel's attention again as he had stopped his last thought abruptly to look at Wilhelmina. As Daniel came to the realization, he forgot where he was for a moment, falling over his words as he tried concluding is last statement. He shook his head and continued. "Uh yeah, sorry, I was uhh saying, how uhh this rebrand of Mode is meant to restore it back to the glory of the original three. It just felt right, especially in these times of austerity, to go more classic, less trendy and give the reader a true glimpse of effortless and timeless classic fashion voice."

"Thank you Daniel."

"Thank you. If you'll excuse me."

Daniel walked over to Wilhelmina posing straight on to the photographers. Marc was standing to the side opened his eyes wide, afraid of a blow out in front of the press over the news he just spilled moments ago Wilhelmina. He took his inhaler out and said a quick prayer to the gods of fashion that his moment of honesty wouldn't cost Wilhelmina more than her hurt feelings.

"Can we get a picture? …both Editors? …Daniel, Wilhelmina…stand with…" The photographers were yelling to get a photo of them together. Daniel was almost giddy inside to be near her again, and especially that no one knew how close he or she actually had come to be. He had felt butterflies.

Wilhelmina felt led.

She smirked in a self serving manner, cocking her eyebrow and sneering her lips at the situation. Her demeanor was as cold as the temperature in her veins in that moment. It even amazed her how she was always able to do that, that control was priceless. If she could bottle it and sell it, she'd be a billionaire.

Daniel slid his hand behind her back and she seductively placed a hand on her hip and leaned into him to torture him, brushing her body against his for just a moment. No one would have noticed it or thought anything strange because that was her signature pose. She allowed the paparazzi to photograph them for a few moments. Daniel leaned in her ear and whispered, "Tonight is our night, congratulations" Wilhelmina's sneer became a full-fledged smirk of deceit and she looked up at him and shook her head "no" ever so slightly.

She broke the hold and nodded at the photographers and sauntered with attitude to Suzuki to begin the press junket. She looked back over her shoulder. Slowly she scanned Daniel from his feet, up his body to and sent an icy scowl before she abruptly turned away from him, sending him a very clear message.

Daniel was stunned. What the hell was going on? With the media's prying eyes he had to make an escape. He would get to Wilhelmina inside to get down to the bottom of her little performance. _Was it for publicity? She was wearing the emeralds? What the hell was that? _Daniel couldn't help but let his gears spin.

The party was in full swing. Wilhelmina stood by herself observing the scene. It was incredible what she was able to pull off in a few short months. Her business acumen was so calculated and precise that she even amazed herself at the favorable response of the re-brand. It was a brilliant strategy. Should couldn't help but wonder why when one part of her life was on the straight and narrow, she always managed to have some kind of drama in another part of her life. Nothing could ever be simple, even if she tried to will herself to try to find some peace.

"I was looking for you." Daniel's voice broke her thoughts.

"Well you found me, congratulations." She said in her signature dry monotone.

"Hey, what's wrong gorgeous? You should be over the moon with this turn out! Look there's Mayor Bloomberg, and there's Heidi Klum, and Ambassador… " Daniel tried really hard to make conversation and dodge her little display of attitude out in the press line up.

"Daniel, I am well aware who is here! I don't need you to read me the guest list"

"You look breathtaking tonight. This dress is beautiful, but I'm sure it will look much better on the floor of your apartment later tonight."

Wilhelmina took a step back from him as her anger started to vibrate inside her. She was disgusted by the thought of him talking to her like that, when all she could do was picture him feeling up Amanda. At that moment she wanted to slap him across the face and unleash on him but she couldn't, not in a room full of all those people. Her eyes were stern and unfaltering. Daniel was looking at her, clearly caught in the fog of confusion.

"Ok…I like your earrings…I noticed them the moment you walked in the room...who got you those?"

No answer.

Daniel tried another tactic. "So I was thinking, maybe we could announce to the press our new found relationship. New beginnings for Mode, new beginnings for us." He ran his hand down the length of her arm and tried reaching for her hand discreetly, but she immediately ripped her hand away from her side to scratch a non-existent twitch on her neck. Daniel was dumb founded.

"Is everyone from the office here yet?" Wilhelmina asked Daniel continuing her laser focus stare out on the dance floor.

Daniel observed her, puzzled at her cryptic tone. She could feel his eyes scanning her. This wasn't the Wilhelmina he had spoken to earlier in the day. "I think so, why? Who are you looking for?"

Wilhelmina's eyes were fixed on the bouncing, bubbly, blonde receptionist in the hot pink dress dancing with a socialite. Her eyes widened at the sight of her in fury.

"No one." Wilhelmina turned on her heel and walked away, letting him drown in his pool of curiosity and confusion. Daniel followed her line of sight but it didn't make sense to him. Who was she looking for?

His entire mood had changed. Daniel kept to himself the rest of the evening watching her every move, her body language, her expressions and her reactions. She seemed to be in her element, smiling, greeting VIPs and celebrating with the fashion elite. She was a very different Wilhelmina out there than the one he crossed paths with. Daniel walked to the bar for a refill, and saw Marc standing a few feet away from him. Marc's eyes widened in fear as he saw Daniel make his way toward him with a very evident scowl.

"Marc, what are you drinking? We should celebrate." Daniel slapped his shoulder. Marc's eyes widened in paranoia, he figured Daniel knew he was the one who opened his trap to Wilhelmina.

"I was just leaving."

"Stay, have a drink. I insist"

"Ok…Mojito, please."

"And a rye and ginger for me. Thanks"

"Great party huh?" Marc attempted to make awkward conversation.

"Yeah, listen, level with me Marc….why is Wilhelmina in such a mood?"

"She's not in a mood, look at her, she's fine. No mood, what's wrong with you? Are you drunk?" Marc babbled in his nervous state and chuckled uncomfortably.

"Think Marc, did she say anything to you?" Marc knew this could get messy fast, and he knew Daniel was spinning inside.

"About what?" He just kept playing dumb. He had done enough damage that night.

"Never mind. Have you seen Betty?"

"She's probably by the buffet Daniel. That was wayyyyy too easy." He laughed nervously.

"Ya ok, well if you see Wilhelmina, tell her I'm looking for her and I want to talk to her." Daniel chugged the remainder of his drink to sooth his nerves, dropped a tip on the bar and walked away.

After a an hour of meet and greets, Daniel looked over at Wilhelmina as she presented to the room. He was so distracted by her little display that he couldn't even concentrate on what she was saying, but he knew it had something to do with Mode. She turned it over to him and he concluded the presentation by just thanking everyone and welcoming them to have a great night. He couldn't even remember his speech so he gave the moment up to her. As she started to walk off the small stage he quickly confronted her and demanded an explanation.

"Hey, are you avoiding me?"

"Don't be a child! I'm busy! Unlike you being a human support stand for the bar."

"Wilhelmina…" grabbed her upper arm. Betty saw from across the room Daniel abruptly grab Wilhelmina and instinctively started walking toward them. Something was wrong. When Marc stopped her and shook his head at her to stop. Betty stared at Marc confused by what was happening. She gazed back in their direction just in case Daniel did something stupid, or Wilhelmina declared war. Marc scanned the room to see if anyone else noticed the little performance between the two editors, doing his best to protect them from the public.

"Take your god damned hands off me." Wilhelmina raged under her breath.

"Talk to me." He demanded annoyed by her tone and actions of the evening.

"You're making a scene." She seethed through her teeth. Wilhelmina ripped her arm out of his grip and coldly delivered another piece of the puzzle, "I am not your whore that you can deceive and please at the same time."

"I don't understand what you mean. Why are you angry? What did I do?"

"Think Daniel, think really, really hard" with that, she disappeared in the crowd. Daniel lost sight of her in the brief seconds she pushed passed him. His heart began pounding to an erratic beat. He felt the room get warm, and in his brief state of panic Daniel started looking around the room to locate Wilhelmina, no where now to be found. He had to leave to collect his thoughts and find her.

Wilhelmina had left her own party way to early for her liking but she was so furious that she was afraid she would explode making a scene that she wouldn't be able to talk herself out of. Her hands were shaking, her breaths were speeding like that familiar locomotive she felt months ago when it all came boiling over, except this time she willed herself to keep it together. She had no one to catch her this time. It was Daniel's arms that caught her last time, but they were nowhere to be found when they were wrapped around another woman. She mustered all her resolve and strength and just wanted to get to the safe haven of her home.

As she looked around her boudoir and the scene depressed her. She huffed in frustration and figured the best thing for her own sanity would be to get herself to the office and deal with some unfinished business. Wilhelmina changed from her sparkling dress and threw it on the floor like Daniel had foreshadowed earlier that evening. She was so disgusted by the thought she immediately picked it up and threw it on her chaise. She popped on an all black jumpsuit and chic black blazer. She removed the jewels framing her face and saw the color in her eyes change instantly. It was like the glow left her face. The sparkle left her eyes and they had gone grey again. She placed them gingerly in the box, sad to part with them, but she knew what she had to do. She shut the small box and was on her way.

She couldn't help but think to herself when she stepped off the elevator, the image of Daniel was all over that building… the elevators, the walls, the hallways. Wilhelmina began to lose her resolve as she marched through the tube. How was she going to face him after all of this? How was she going to carry on fighting yet again? How was she going to go back to the place they once were, not the place that they found themselves today? Nothing had really changed from four years ago. They would again find themselves at each other's throats. She couldn't help but come to the realization that the older she got, she invested more of her heart than she let herself believe, or deceive. She felt the tears begin the long painful road down her face knowing that she would forever feel the weight of falling for Daniel and having to let it go before it ever could really turn into something.

She walked into Daniel's office and made her way to his desk. She picked up his titanium pen and took out a piece of his stationary. She began writing him a note.

"So this is how it ends? After everything?" He watched Wilhelmina write what he assumed was he goodbye letter. Daniel blue eyes darted to the black Harry Winston boxes on his desk.

She was startled by his voice, coming from the doorway. He knew her well enough to know where he to find her. She looked up with a stare cold as ice, the stare that once terrified him in its callous execution, now broke his heart knowing there was more than anger behind that stare. She looked back down at her note and ignored him, continuing to execute her task.

Daniel felt the rage stir in him as her ignorance for him all evening infuriated him. "TALK TO ME!" Daniel yelled, startling her out of her skin again.

She stood up, calmly not letting his tone affect her on the outside. "I have nothing to say. I've given you enough ammo." She put her hands in her pockets and began her walk to the door. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably.

"Ammo? This isn't a game Wilhelmina!" His voice began to rise.

"Spoken by the playboy." Her tone was so controlled and uncaring as she came at him. It scared Daniel. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm done in here."

"You're not going anywhere until you explain why you left those gifts on my desk."

"I don't think it's going to work out between you and me. I just figured it was the right thing to do returning them to you." She responded like she was returning a dress in the wrong size. She stood her ground, nose in the air as his body blocked a good part of the door.

"I don't want them. I want you to have them. They were for you."

"I have no need for them anymore…now if you'll excuse me."

Daniel placed his arm in the doorway denying her the exit.

"Daniel, I'm going to ask you one more time, let me pass."

"No. Why are you upset with me?"

"Upset? I am not upset. I am FURIOUS WITH YOU! You got what you wanted! You finally wore me down and bed me, Bravo. NOW LET ME GO!" Her voice now betraying her, she yelled at him.

"What did you mean when you said to me 'I am not your whore that you can deceive and please'?" Daniel was agitated and his tone now more aggressive with her.

"Go fuck yourself Daniel! See you on Monday!" She pushed her way past him and he grabbed her.

"No! You don't get to walkaway without an explanation and think I am going to let you go like this…"

"No? That's all you have to say for yourself is, no?"

"I don't accept this bullshit! I am not walking away from you this easy without a fight!"

"Oh I'll give you a fight! One way or another I'm going to make you pay for your humiliation. How could you do this to me?"

"Do what? Spit it out!"

"You are just like Connor. You hate him because you see yourself in him!"

"Oh don't you dare, don't make accusations like that and not tell me why. I never lied to you!"

"No you did worse. You insulted my intelligence and played me for an idiot!" Daniel pushed her back in his office and shut the door, standing in front of it.

"I am not letting you out of this room until we talk about what has you so riled up."

"We had a deal! If this this didn't work we go back to a place of respect right?"

"Right."

"Ok so tell me this then Daniel did you respect me when you had Amanda flat on her back?"

"Let me explain…"

"Tales of your depravity and your sexual rotations no longer interest me.

You should have thought of that before you bed me while you were still in the middle of your little tryst with blondie!"

"I never touched her..."

"Said every man who was ever caught with another woman! You must think I am really an idiot"

"Amanda and I were over a long time ago!"

"Straight up, did you sleep with her in the time that you and I started up? I'll know if you're lying to me. Trust me."

No answer from Daniel. Who told her? What did she know?

Wilhelmina felt like she was going to throw up. She just shook her head and talked herself off the ledge of falling into a fit of rage.

"I ended it when I knew that I was falling for you." Daniel said softly. He watched her stare into nothing on his desk, and her eyes start to gaze as she began tearing up from her nerves being agitated to their limit. She shook her head, trying to convince herself he was lying.

Finally she broke her devastating silence. "When?"

Daniel's voice now began crumbling, breaking every time he let himself realize he was losing her, "It was just after our second date…She showed up in my office late one night and came on to me... we had a previous arrangement…I was half in the bag, decompressing from my day, and before I knew it, it happened… I couldn't tell her I was seeing you, and I didn't know if we would last…I didn't turn her away… But I am telling you the truth, now. Amanda and I never had a relationship…It was casual and I am so sorry Wilhelmina…If I can change it I would. I never touched her again…I swear…I am so sorry Wilhelmina."

"That's enough! I don't want to hear anymore!"

"I'm sorry…please, believe me!" Daniel begged walking toward her statuesque frame, not moving. Her feet were cemented to his floor. She couldn't leave, although her mind was telling her to go now before she was hurt any further. Daniel fell to his knees in desperation, watching the love slip away from her eyes by the moment. He grabbed Wilhelmina's hips and kept repeating, "I never wanted to hurt you… I didn't say anything to you because she didn't matter to me, I didn't want to hurt you…I can't lose you…please Wilhelmina…I'm sorry."

Her heart broke to a million pieces at that moment hearing Daniel groveling apologies. She couldn't believe she was back in that empty, hollow place, where she felt most alone. Said finally brought a man to his knees and the power under different circumstances would have been Wilhelmina Slater's greatest triumph. But tonight, she stood there empty, broken and changed.

There were a few things she remembered her mother telling her as a little girl. Some of those wisdoms she used in her day-to-day life and others she never thought she would ever see the day. But today one of those wisdoms came true. Her mother once told her "_a real man is brought to his knees for a woman for two reasons: the first is to propose to the love of his life and the other is for mercy. And when a man is on his knees, never walkaway from him_." Hearing her mother's words she looked down at Daniel letting her mother's words echo in her conscience and guide her to what she should do.

She swallowed hard as her eyes threatened to spill over. "What do you want from me Daniel?" Her tone was gentle but stern.

"I want you! I don't care about any of this! Not the magazine, not the company, none of it! I've gotten everything I could out of this place…including the best thing that could have ever happen to me, and that's you. You make me a better man. It used to be about the pages of Mode, it used to be about my ego, it used to be about me proving something to others and myself, it used to be about power, but the funny thing was all along it was about you."

She stood there paralyzed. Daniel waited on baited breath of what she would say, but until then, he just held her knowing it could be the last time he would be that close to her again.

"This is never going to end, is it?" Her voice, full of absolute realization of the cold reality they found themselves in, startled him. He looked up at her in panic. There was no forgiveness in her voice. "I don't think I have the strength for this shit anymore. One way or another I can't keep fighting you. You and me will forever have some kind of conflict between us. It could never work." Wilhelmina pushed his arms off her and walked out. "Goodbye Daniel."

Daniel sat down on the floor, defeated by what just transpired. He had lost her.

Moments later, his phone went off breaking his thoughts. Immediately he reached for it hoping it would be Wilhelmina.

It was a text from Betty.

_Betty: Where are you?_

_Daniel: At the office. _

_Betty: On my way. Stay put. _

Betty rushed through the halls of Mode to see Daniel sitting on the floor of his office, leaning against his desk. He hadn't moved since Wilhelmina left.

"What happen Daniel?"

"I'm in love with Wilhelmina, and I just lost her." Daniel laid it out there straight up, nothing to lose anymore because he just did.

"Whoa…I don't know what to say…"

"Nothing to say… I fucked it up. Wilhelmina has her flaws and made her share of mistakes with my family and me, but this time it was different. She did nothing wrong. This time, it was all me."

"What did you do?"

"She found out about my office affair with Amanda after the Bahamas."

"Oh Wow! And you still have all your appendages?" Betty attempted to make him laugh to make him feel better.

"Not the time Betty…what am I going to do?"

"Do you want to talk about it, tell me about it?"

"Can you sit with me for a while?"

"Sure."

Betty sat there on the floor with Daniel comforting him, as he was defeated in his own grief after telling Betty the whole story that he completely forgot about the note that Wilhelmina left on his desk. Betty was beside herself knowing the truth of their relationship. There was real love, comfort, companionship and support there. After she let it all sink in, she realized that as strange of a pairing that they were after all this time, it made the most sense of any of the relationships that they both had in the time that she knew both Daniel and Wilhelmina. It was so obvious now but watching the two of them rip each other to shreds after all the years, Betty knew that this ran deep, deeper than both Daniel and Wilhelmina had led on.

As they were getting ready to leave, Betty noticed the note on the desk.

"Hey Daniel, what's that?" She pointed to the paper.

"Oh my god, the letter she was writing. I completely forgot about it." Daniel ran to it to read it.

"What does it say?"

Daniel stared at it shaking his head in disbelief. "No, no she can't do this to me…"

"What? What did she do now…"

"It's her two weeks notice."

Betty gasped coming to the realization that Wilhelmina loved him more than Mode. This ran far deeper than she could have let on.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Monday's were always a pain for most people, but for the Editors and Chief's of Mode it was a start to the week that neither of them wanted to start. They knew what to do when it came to the business of Mode, and they had both navigated more trying times than these, but this was personal. Daniel spent the rest of his weekend in a paranoid state, scheming for a way to get to Wilhelmina, to talk to her. He spun his wheels never leaving his apartment. It was time for him to formulate a plan to get to her, and he was sure he hatched a plan to get her attention and get her alone.

After the warzone at the offices that weekend, neither one could muster the complete resolve to face each other. Every time Wilhelmina reached for the door, she reminded herself she forgot something she needed on her vanity, in her kitchen, in her living room. She changed her shoes three times convincing herself she was wearing the wrong shoes with her outfit…she had run out of excuses. She scolded herself to get it together. These were her official last days at Mode (yet again). She reached for her door and stuck her nose in the air as she put her oversized sunglasses on her face and walked out the door for her final days on the frontlines for the battlefield. Eventually this war would be over.

Wilhelmina sat at her desk, filing through her hundreds of emails that went unanswered over the weekend. She was startled from the loud smack of a heavy object slamming against the glass of her desk. She knew who it was.

"What is this? The book is not due for another three weeks and I'll be long gone by then." The monotone was a painful reminder that she was still livid with him. Wilhelmina eyes shifted from her computer to the familiar binder on her desk. She knew Daniel was hovering over her desk but she didn't acknowledge his presence.

"This is for you. I am resigning Mode to you, officially and legally. As of tomorrow, I am moving on to the role of Chairman and official CEO of Meade publications, to oversee the entire company and all its publications. I will be out of your hair and up on the 57th floor from no on. It's time." Wilhelmina looked up from her screen and was fixated on his face, not believing what was coming out of his mouth.

"But I gave you my two weeks."

"I haven't signed your release, and no official announcement has gone out." Daniel smirked at her. Wilhelmina had no choice but to listen to him. "This is my counter offer. You keep your third ownership and stay on as sole editor and chief of Mode, and as an official face of the company, or I buy out your share and I never hear from you again."

"I don't do well with ultimatums." She leaned back in her chair and challenged him.

"And I don't do well with the woman I love walking out on me without so much as a fight, so I guess we all have to concede one time or another."

"I told you, I can't keep fighting you Daniel."

"I just told you I loved you and because I love you I want to give you everything you ever wanted or could want. Like I told you before, none of this matters to me. I want you. That's it. And if this is the road to keep you near me, even though you chose not to be with me, than I am still willing to try and fight for you, not with you. If your choice is to leave Mode, so be it, but if you go, I don't ever want you to come back…your choice Wilhelmina."

They stared each other down, both sets of eyes brimming, threating to betray what they were saying on the surface. "If you need me I'll be upstairs in my father's office, moving my things. Come find me when you have an answer for me, and I will make the appropriate arrangements." With that, Daniel marched out of her office, as he neared her door he heard her callout, "Daniel?"

"Yes?"

"Close my door on the way out."

It was a little past six that evening and Wilhelmina finally emerged from her office. She sat all day, curtains drawn and unavailable to speak with anyone. Marc had cancelled all her meetings and no calls went returned. Since that morning's coffee run, even Marc hadn't seen her.

"Marc, go home!"

"But Willie, I wanted to stay and make sure…"

"…I'm fine! I don't need anything else for the day. You can go!" She barked at him, clearly annoyed. Marc nodded at her as she was in one of her moods. He packed up his bags and noticed she was still standing at his desk. It was strange, normally she would blow past him and he would be tripping over his feet to chase her down the halls.

"What's wrong Willie, talk to me?"

"Nothing."

"Ok." Marc started to walk to the elevators and Wilhelmina walked with him. Marc pushed the elevator button down and seconds later Wilhelmina pushed the button to go up. Marc looked over at her confused but said nothing. Without a word Marc reached out his free arm as they stood there just staring at the elevator lights, and rubbed her back comfortingly for support, and she let him. Something was up.

Wilhelmina's heels clicked the off the elevator, sending an echo through the marble floor that vibrated through the walls intimidatingly. She hadn't been to the 57th floor in months. It was so dark.

She rounded the hallway and opened the double doors to Bradford's old digs. She saw Daniel standing in the dark with his back to her, staring out the window, as she leaned against the wrought iron decorative wall, with the only light coming from the gas fireplace stretching the long wall of the office.

"You sure took you time." Daniel said, back still toward her.

"Well, I had a lot to think about." He turned and looked at her with a longing stare.

"Please take a seat Wilhelmina." She sat down gingerly on the chair in front of the fire place, and crossed her ankles under her. Daniel joined her, sitting directly across from her on the coffee table. She was nervous, she never sat like a proper lady. She clenched her hands in her lap and began. "Well, I have done some serious thinking and my answer based on your proposal this morning has two parts."

"Ok."

"The first part is, I don't like ultimatums! I was incredibly pissed off with you at that moment. Frankly I was ready to take your head off and roll it around my office for sport at that moment. You are very lucky I didn't make my decision on the spot."

"That's not a decision." Daniel said dryly, trying to smoke out the answer from her.

"Ugh…Fine. After some careful thinking, it is best for me to stay on at Mode, for the magazine. If I leave, a lot will suffer, the magazine, the employees who have remained loyal to me, and business itself. I waited a long time to be the one-woman show downstairs, and I owe it to myself. But I do have just a few requests before this all goes official Mr. CEO." She sarcastically added the quip.

"Which are?"

"Number one: I have final sign off over the annual planning budgets with the board. I don't want to get into a pissing contest with you if Mode is on target or surpassing its numbers." Daniel listened to her as she spoke intently, considering her proposal.

"Number two: I get to comb the staff lists of the other publications and maybe re-organize the structure. I realize we very rarely do that, but it's what I want." He nodded at her, it sounded reasonable.

"Number three: I would still like to be actively a part of board as third primary shareholder, even though my focus will be on Mode. I don't just want to be a figure head, I want to have my stake flourish and I need to be actively present to do that." Again, her request as shareholder made rational sense.

"Number four: your mother's little insert is out of Mode! Period. Find some other magazine to use it as a bookmark." He screwed his face up knowing there was going to be a little battle between Mama Meade and Wilhelmina, but he would deal with it when the moment came.

"Number five: I want a signing bonus in the ballpark of $150,000+. I need a vacation and new shoes." He looked at her with a smug smirk, of course she wanted money, Daniel knew the request was coming. "And lastly, I want another shot at us." His expression changed. It went blank.

"Is that it?" He asked her in disbelief of what just flew out of her mouth.

"Daniel, I just told you I want to try again with you." She felt the blood rush to her ears. She was momentarily mortified that he didn't leap off the table to kiss her in gratitude for her ability to forgive his transgression.

"I heard you. I need you to tell me why?"

"Why?! Boy, are you feeling ok?! You're the one who cheated on me." Her attitude soared to temperatures hotter than the fire in the room. She shot up off the chair like a bullet.

"I meant no disrespect, what I meant was I wanted you to tell me why you had the change of heart?" Daniel stood up to meet her eye to eye.

"Because."

"Because? What are you three?" He challenged.

"Ugh…because I realized that I am in love with your sorry ass! I have done a lot of horrible and some could say even unforgivable things to you over the years and you found a place in your heart for me. You saw me for who I am and not what I want people to believe I am. We understand each other. We are cut from the same luxurious, albeit overpriced, cloth. You love everything about me that hurts and not all the other things that are easy to love. Its those things that are hard to love that made me realize you are the only man who ever took on that challenge, and its not easy."

"I told you, nothing in life that is worth it is ever easy."

"I remember." Wilhelmina sighed and let the rest pour out of her, except this time there was no need for tears. She cried her last tear in her office fighting herself for answers earlier that day. "I realized I would rather work with you than against you, I would rather stand with you than with my back to you hiding from all of this. And if I walked away, I think it would be the biggest regret of my life. Because I now know that you and I, together, could be a force, both in business and the bedroom. I want to be near you, and bicker with you, and kiss you, and make love to you, and spend my days with you here at the office and at home because…"

"Just so you know I would have settled for 'because' if it meant getting that second chance with you."

"Ohhh Meade, you are on thin, thin, ice." She ripped away from him dramatically, threatening to walkaway from him. Daniel reached for her and held her tight at the waist, not letting her slip from him again. "Lucky for me I melted the ice with you a long time ago. Wilhelmina, I am so sorry if I hurt you with the whole Am.."

"Hey! Not another word of it. Let me bury it and let's never speak of it again. Those are the terms."

"Speaking of terms, I think I need to lay out my terms with you since your list of demands are quite extensive. We can begin our negotiation tonight and hopefully settle this all amicably and without any lawyers or corpses."

"That only happened once and no one ever did find the body…" She joked, or at least Daniel hoped.

"Yes but tonight is not that night. I will keep you here all night if I have to, to get you to agree to my terms. Number one: I will never again do anything to consciously hurt you again. I don't think my heart could take that look on your face again." Wilhelmina pecked him on the lips as she held his neck. She nodded at him and continued listening.

"Number two: You will wear your diamonds that I gifted you and like it so help me god! Even if that means I have to buy you more, then so be it!" Daniel dramatically said with anger, stifling a giggle from her and she pursed her lips and playfully resisted his request.

"Number three: Yes to signing bonus, but you have to take me on vacation with you." She nodded at his rational; she had no protests to his request.

"Number four: I am staying out of the line of fire between you and my mother. You two can work it out." Wilhelmina rolled her eyes and couldn't help but tell her self he was still a mama's boy, but she could fix that.

"And lastly, I know its not today but you will one day become my wife, and spend the rest of your life with me."

It was the most disarming thing she had ever heard. She was so moved by what he just said to her she kissed him with all the passion and love she felt for him at that moment. Wilhelmina felt like she finally got her fairytale ending. No man had ever touched her heart like that. There was nothing sexual about that moment, it was intimacy. But strangely, she wasn't afraid of it. She just realized how much she adored the man standing in front of her.

"Oh and I forgot one more on my list." Wilhelmina said her voice now deep with desire as she pulled away from Daniel's lips.

"Which is?"

"I get privileges to your lunch schedule, and what you nibble on for that hour." Her eyebrows shot up suggestively.

"What is it with you always wanting to bang the boss upstairs? Is it the whole desk fantasy?" Daniel's hands began roaming her body and walking her back to his oversized wood desk. Daniel popped her up the edge and began lifting her skirt when she responded by pushing him back with enough room to look him dead deep in the eye.

"Don't be stupid! It's the power of banging the boss and getting to tell him what to do … and watching him do it!" She pulled him by the tie and their mouths met in the process of sealing the deal. Wilhelmina had one more demand she breathed into Daniel's ear as her lips drove a hard bargain.

"P.S. I also get to re-decorate your office."

THE END

[Author's note: thank you for reading and reviewing! I can't tell you how much the feedback meant and that I was able to entertain you even for a little bit of your day. Thank you again! ]


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